


NicoMaki Shorts, August AU edition

by Caribous (Carib0u)



Category: Love Live! School Idol Project
Genre: AU Yeah AUgust (Miraculous Ladybug), F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-06
Updated: 2019-01-19
Packaged: 2019-06-22 21:34:16
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 14
Words: 52,784
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15591189
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Carib0u/pseuds/Caribous
Summary: Inspired by https://lnc2.tumblr.com/post/174925809860/au-yeah-august prompt/challenge for Miracle Ladybug which they invited non-ML writers to join.





	1. Believe

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> AU Yeah August 1st: Soulmates

It was a scandalous thing, but as Toujou Nozomi swept out the _jinja_ , even though it was a Shinto shrine, she thought of Culapanthaka, the mentally challenged disciple of the Buddha, sweeping the temple where his acolytes gathered. He'd been charged by Siddhartha Buddha himself to repeat over and over, "Take away the dirt, sweep away the dust!" And had thereby achieved enlightenment. Nozomi's spirituality sometimes didn't flow in rigid channels. She felt the mantra made her feel lighter and cleaner. Others might have wondered why a beautiful and intelligent young woman would compare herself to a mentally handicapped servant, but she was not. Instead, it was a comparison to a direct disciple of the Buddha - surely honorable enough for anyone without a false sense of importance.

Perhaps it was because her senses were particularly clear, but she suddenly glimpsed a misty figure that didn't seem like any of the creatures she was familiar with. It looked a bit like a tadpole, and a bit like a ladybug. Instead of questioning her eyes or her sanity, Nozomi simply observed it, calmly, until it seemed to be aware of her scrutiny.

"Greetings to you, shrine maiden!" she suddenly heard — or was it really a voice in her mind? It was hard to tell. The creature flew over to where Nozomi was leaning with her broom against a wall.

"And who may you be, creature?" Nozomi inquired.

"Well, as for that," the creature puffed itself up. "At one time, the Greeks called me Tyche, the God of Luck. Or Goddess. No one was sure, even me! But nowadays I answer to 'Tikki.' It's a little more easy for modern beings to pronounce, whether in Japanese or English."

"And to what do we owe the honor of your visit, Tikki?"

"As to that, yes, it is something of an honor, but it's much more of a favor."

"Oh," said Nozomi? She wasn't making an effort to appear wise, in-the-know or above it all, but by now that sort of atmosphere came naturally to her. Fortunately, the creature seemed amused. 

"Yes, you are all striving to save your homeland, are you not?"

"Our homeland?"

"Yes, I believe it is called .. Otonokizaka."

Nozomi laughed. "I suppose you could put it that way. But that is our school, and yes, we are striving to save it."

Tikki looked embarrassed. "Anyway, to conquer others, you must first conquer yourselves. And to do that, you must know yourselves. And for that, you need to BE yourselves."

Nozomi looked interested, but after all, these were somewhat of a set of cliches and platitudes.

"I am going to gift you with the will and motivation to do exactly that, for a week. You will strive just as mightily as any magical girl, and achieve your hearts' desires."

 _Saving the school?_ Nozomi thought. And then the creature proved it was a mind-reader by answering her question as if spoken aloud. "No, little miko. There is something all of you want much more than the continuation of your academy. It is the real thing that has drawn you together. It has even charmed your chief rivals."

It looked over at Nozomi. "I don't believe you need me to explain any more."

"Well," said Nozomi, "perhaps that's so. But do you mind doing so?"

It shrugged. "Rose and Juleka, Sabrina and Chloe, and Alya and Marinette were much the same. It is particularly painful when the one you are bound to is not the one you think you like, or the one everyone says you must be with. Painful for you, painful for them."

The being gently put an earring on Nozomi's right ear, and handed her a little bag. Nozomi's had a tori on it, but inside the bag she found earrings with a cat, a ballet slipper, a loaf of bread, a bowl of rice, an arrow, a bird, an imp and a tomato. It suddenly spoke in a deeper voice and at a measured pace:

 

> One who has wisdom, but not courage  
>  The one she loves, who has been taught not to believe in herself  
>  The two pure hearts, free of doubt  
>  Two who cannot trust, bound irrevocably, but fighting fate and each other  
>  The dreamer that all call lazy  
>  The bird that sings when it wishes to be soaring  
>  The hunter who sympathizes with her prey  
>  The rival who will solve the puzzle of who loves who

There were only nine earrings, but Nozomi thought she was hearing about ten people. The creature winked at her. "Be yourself, Toujou Nozomi!" It declared. "Take away the dirt, sweep away the dust!" And with that, it vanished.

 

* * *

 

It was strange, but all nine girls in Muse had been feeling listless lately. And that night, they all had strange dreams. Nico's was particularly harrowing.

 

> _She found herself in a devastated Tokyo. She seemed to be the last person left alive, shifting through ruined shops, hunting for food and drinking out of the sink in bathrooms. It seemed this was the repeated pattern of many days. In her peripheral vision, this time, however, she saw a shadow. She ran around the corner and saw a red-haired girl walking away. Nico sped up, but no matter how fast she went, the girl still receded from her, even though she was merely walking._
> 
> _Nico suddenly tripped and fell, and when she tried to get up, her ankle wouldn't support her. She saw the other survivor disappear around a corner without ever looking back. "If this is what I have to expect, then I might as well stop fighting it," Nico said. She would just lie there until the lack of water caught up with her._

Suddenly, Nico jolted awake. She had had many dreams before about being abandoned, alone, and so on. But why had she dreamt about _her_? Nico wasn't an idiot. She knew many people on the fan boards called them "NicoMaki" and had fantasies about them dating. As long as she got top billing in the shipping name, and the fan service added to their ratings, she didn't really mind. And she didn't hate Maki - well, she didn't hate her all the time. When she wasn't hating her guts, she even kind of liked Maki. Nico had no idea why she was suddenly impelled to hug the irritating first-year on occasion, and she'd never talked about it with Maki. Maybe she was just huggable? Actually, she seemed more prickly. She did smell very nice. But if Nico was going to have dreams like this, that was a disturbing pattern. That was playing into the fans' fantasies, and there was no way she was comfortable with that.

* * *

 

Nishikino Maki's upper body jerked up off her bed. Her nightmare had been so _real_.

 

> _She'd been part of a crew of medics working with a rescue crew, but for some reason, Maki had run ahead of the crew and was searching frantically where some sort of disaster had hit. In a clearing near where, she now saw, high water had reached, she saw a little leg sticking out of the mud. As she approached it, she also saw one twin-tail with a telltale bright red bow on it, partly covered by mud._
> 
> _Maki turned aside and threw up the contents of the survival rations she'd had for breakfast. The rescue crew was calling her name, and the winds and rain were increasing, but Maki had just sat there, huddled in on herself and staring at nothing._

Now, even though she'd woken up, she was doing much the same thing.

 

* * *

 

Nozomi could feel spiritual power fill her. She'd gone to bed wearing the earring, so her dream had been pleasant, its message crystal clear. It particularly pleased her that, as far as she could tell, she didn't have to abandon the dream they shared to achieve her heart's desire. It just took patience and determination.

She'd guessed Eli would go to school earlier, and by a different route, to avoid her, and she guessed right about which route she would take. Though Eli wouldn't meet her eyes, she marched up to her and handed her the ballet slipper earring. "Eli, if you want to avoid bad dreams, this earring was given to me to give to you. Even if that makes no sense to you, you should still give it a try, as it was made expressly for your benefit." Then, miraculously, she didn't tease Eli or wait for her. She simply turned and walked to school, all by herself.

She went to the clubroom instead of straight to her first class. She left the bag of earrings on the table and wrote a note on the white board.

 

> **If you are having strange dreams, wear the earring that suits you and they will no longer trouble you.**

 

* * *

 

When she got to the clubroom that afternoon, as she expected, Eli had not shown up. But as compensation for that, quite an interesting tableau was on display:

Rin and Hanayo were sitting in the same chair, clutching each other tightly. From their muttered words, it seems they'd shared the same dream of separation and deprivation of love. Now they were seeking comfort by clinging to each other like a pair of baby koalas.

In contrast, Nico and Maki were seated as far from each other as they could manage, turned away from each other, and blushing so furiously they couldn't even speak. Nonetheless, they kept sneaking glances as if to reassure themselves the other was still there.

Kotori and Umi kept sneaking guilty looks at Honoka, who was looking away with a very wistful, sad expression.

All of them were wearing their earrings, though. So tonight's dreams would be something of a relief.

Even though she knew it abated her enormous loneliness, Nozomi sometimes grumbled to herself about having to be den mother to eight rambunctious girls.

But this time, she thought, she was getting off lighter than anyone except, perhaps, Rin and Hanayo. The two girls already doing the best job of Being Themselves. Certainly, she was doing better than Eli. And speak of the dancer. Eli's text showed no trace of her usual cool attitude.

 

> _Nozomi I know I have these feelings, but we're both girls!_
> 
> **Yes, we are. And I like Elicchi because of that, not in spite of it. But I am happy if Elicchi likes me back in spite of it. We weren't all raised with the same expectations.**

It was a bit of a wait for the next text.

 

> _We're still both girls, Nozomi. It isn't right. We should be friends only._
> 
> **And you are a 'bad dancer, hard to train.' Or not. Could any of the docile girls they picked over you have done what you've done with us? I wonder what those stupid coach guys in Russia were really thinking. We don't have to accept everything people tell us, Elicchi. Be yourself. I plan to be myself, and part of that is how much I love Eli.**

Then, before she clicked her phone's screen off, she sent one more text.

 

> **Sleep on it, Ellichi. I'll see you tomorrow.**

* * *

 

The next day, Rin and Hanayo were sitting against the wall, cuddling. Both of them were showing nothing but complete joy. It was heartwarming just to look at them.

Kotori and Umi, who seemed to have made their peace with being girlfriends, were holding hands. Honoka looked a little less sad than the day before, though just as lonely.

Nico and Maki, on the other hand, were not doing so well. Neither of them had obviously slept a wink. They looked at Nozomi somewhat accusingly and went to their spots as far from each other as possible. But this time, both of them couldn't help crying. Nozomi decided to interrogate them, and after she asked a few pointed questions, the other girls joined in. It came out that Nico was considering dropping out of school and moving to Osaka, where the pay for aspiring idols working at maid cafes was much higher. Maki had been planning to stop working with Muse and focus on her studies, and perhaps transfer to UTX after all. Anything to get away from the other girl.

Rin and Hanayo stared at them, shocked. "You ... you can't do that!" Hanayo said. "If you do something like that, it will kill your soul!" Rin added.

Nico and Maki just looked puzzled. But so did Rin and Hanayo.

"Can-Can't you see it? There's this thread that connects Nico-chan and M-maki-chan!" Hanayo stammered.

"Nyeah," added Rin.

"I see it too, girls, but they can't." Nozomi joined in. She clapped her hands.

"Nico! Maki! Before you get too mad at me, I want you to try one more thing, okay?" She gave her most appealing smile. Then she got a futon out of the closet and put it in the back of the room, away from the door. 

"I want Nicocchi and Maki-chan to sleep next to each other," she said. Urged by the stares of the rest, somehow Nico and Maki approached the futon from opposite sides. 

"Fine!" Maki declared. She laid down and turned away. Nico did the same. Nozomi gently turned them back so they were facing each other. She dragged their hands until they were clasped. 

"Now you will sleep very, very nicely, girls," she declared.

It actually turned out that way. The rest of them were able to have a meeting without waking them, since they slept like tops. And as they slept, they instinctively drew next to each other, so after a short while, they were cuddling. Both of them were smiling almost as much as Rin and Hanayo.

Eli joined them, surprising even Nozomi, who hadn't known how long she would have to wait. She called Nozomi out into the hall. She burst into tears and Nozomi cuddled her to her chest. Eli apologized over and over, until Nozomi lifted her chin and looked into her eyes. "It's alright, Elicchi. We don't have any problems or hard feelings. I just want you to be happy, like I am because I've met you." And with that, Nozomi kissed Eli, lightly. Then she took her hand and led her back into the clubroom.

The next day was a somewhat impromptu concert — a return engagement in Akihabara itself. They had known about it, but their own drama had prevented strictly practicing for it. Nozomi claimed they'd be fine, and it felt good to be doing something other than feeling listless or agonizing over bad dreams. They did not anticipate being on the news for days afterwards. The amount of praise for them that poured in was completely unprecedented. The audience and idol reviewers all spoke about the aura of love and happiness that seemed to surround the Mu's girls, though one attendee said he thought the center was a little sad and isolated. 

Interestingly, they saw similar stories about A-RISE. It had become clear, the news stories claimed, that only two entries in the upcoming Love Live regionals were serious. Then they dropped a bombshell. It seems A-RISE had arranged for UTX and Otonokizaka to be placed in different regions. The rationale had been that at that point, they had three times the ratings of the next school down nationwide, and it would be a pity for one of the two top schools to be eliminated. 

There was a further surprise as they showed A-RISE on the TV report. The camera zoomed in on Kira Tsubasa, just before a performance, and an earring with a loaf of bread symbol on it was plainly visible. As Honoka stared in shock at the image, Tsubasa turned to the camera and winked.

 

* * *

 

It was many years later, after all the bonded pairs, including Tsubasa and Honoka, had settled into their adult lives and careers, that an evil villain, a devil-master, arrived on the outskirts of Tokyo. He'd been thwarted in Paris, but Tokyo was an even more stressed out city. Surely his usual plan of attack — provoke discord, possess people with akuma, create disasters, would ruin Tokyo much more easily than ruining Paris had turned out to be. He was perplexed. There seemed to be a barrier of love around Tokyo, one that would be quite difficult to break through. And then, he had an ominous feeling. Without warning, he was surrounded by 12 women who seemed to be gathering spiritual energy. As he suddenly faded from existence, the last thing he heard sounded like "Muse, Music ... S___".

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I thought since I was joining the AU Yeah August challenge I would give a huge shout-out to Miraculous Ladybug, the inspiration for the challenge to begin with. Only Tikki and the villain got to appear, but I did mention all the main yuri and subtext couples. Until the next day of the challenge!


	2. Mentor

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> AU Yeah August 2: College
> 
> Performance major Yazawa Nico finds out that the mentor program she joined is shutting down. Can she help save it without losing her sanity - or her heart?

Second-year Performance major (Vocal and Dance) Yazawa Nico started a list on a fresh sheet of paper of Things That Didn't Help. Then she crumpled it and threw it towards the wastebasket in frustration. Watching it bounce off the rim, Nico told herself she wasn't there on an athletic scholarship anyway. She took out another piece of paper and drew a line down the middle. She wrote "Things That Don't Help (Naturally)" on the left side and "Things That Don't Help (But Should)" on the right side.

So. Left side first.

It didn't help that Nico had joined the "Girl-to-Girl"mentor program and committed a lot of her precious energy to it, only to be informed it was shutting down after the semester.

It didn't help that fellow Performance major Kousaka Honoka had talked the other girls in the program into putting all of its remaining eggs into one basket — creating a school idol program at their affiliated high school, Otonokizaka Girl's Academy.

It didn't help that one of her few friends - Nico was too busy for friendship, usually - Toujou Nozomi saw the mentor program as mainly an excuse to hit on high school girls.

It didn't help that Dance and Poetry major Sonoda Umi had a mentee that agreed with Nozomi, and led Umi by the nose.

In that light, it didn't help that it was called the "girl to girl" program. But maybe she should blame Nozomi and Kotori (and Rin) instead of the program, which was the victim here.

It didn't help who Nico had drawn as a mentee — a girl so aloof and uncommunicative Nico had assumed she was somewhat autistic at first.

Thinking of the girl, it also didn't help — how would Nico write this down? Her stray thoughts about the surly, breathtakingly lovely genius Nishikino Maki wouldn't look good written down, even to organize herself. So she wrote down "Maki is hard to keep a professional relationship with." The word relationship didn't help anything, but she went on.

It didn't help that Honoka had already talked her mentee, a senior named Kira Tsubasa, and her two friends into forming an idol trio.

It very much didn't help that their attitude to the rest of the mentees was "form your own group!"

Another thing she couldn't put down: that when she saw Nozomi's mentee and main prey Ayase Eli dancing, it gave Nico a sick feeling in her stomach. She couldn't even write down "mismatched mentors" as she was definitely grateful, even as awful as trying to work with Maki was, that Nozomi had drawn her instead of Nico. She doubted her ability to tamp down feelings of envy and inferiority, especially as Ayase seemed to be very challenging. Nozomi could just laugh and beg off, saying she had little training in anything but jazz dance, and she would just be Ayase's coach and teach her how to navigate college life. "And of course, teach her other, far more important things, Nicocchi!" When Nico said Nozomi must like them young, Nozomi simply winked. "Of course, which is why the tiny, childlike Nicocchi is my backup girlfriend!" Having said that, she stood back smirking and enjoying a Nico tantrum.

Tired of feeling depressed and wanting to feel angry for a change of pace, on the right side she noted:

It didn't help that Umi's mentee-jockeying-for-girlfriend Minami Kotori had a mother at the college who was in charge of the whole program. God knows why the person running it was so blasé about losing it, but she seemed to be.

It didn't help that in middle and high school Nico had managed to charm practically everyone at will. Now that she was in college, and with serious, even aggressive competition, things had become so difficult it had soured her disposition and made her come off as constantly stressed and tired.

It didn't help that Dance scholarship student Hoshizora Rin - and Nico reminded herself to put on the left side that Rin agreed with with Nozomi on "hitting on high school girls" as the main value of the program — had gotten a tentative commitment from Literature Club vice president and closet idol otaku Koizumi Hanayo to join "if the others do."

It didn't help enough that Minami had made a partial commitment "If that's really what Umi-chan wants — to take care of Kotori and help her change costumes and move her into the correct poses, and so on. Please take care of me!"

Honoka's success with A-RISE, as her mentee trio was called, actually hurt, since it sucked up all the enthusiasm for an idol group, leaving Nico, Nozomi, Rin and Umi in the lurch.

What the right side added up to was something to be written in double-sized letters on the left side:

_**IT DIDN'T HELP THAT NOW EVERYTHING WAS BEING PUT ON NICO DESPITE HAVING THE MOST UNCOOPERATIVE MENTEE OF ALL!!** _

Okay, maybe that looked a little unhinged when she wrote it that way.

At any rate, Nico folded the paper once and stuck it in her notebook. She gathered her things and went out to visit the high school, and Maki.

 

* * *

 

They didn't get along at all, and Maki couldn't think of anything impressive about her "mentor," even if she tried. But today, she sensed that Yazawa-san was almost at her wit's end. Guiltily, she reflected she was probably the cause. Then, self-righteously, she reminded herself that a mentor program was for the good of the girl being mentored, not her peers, and not her mentor. And if she did something absurd like dancing around shaking her ass with a bunch of high-school idiot girls, and it affected her grades — well, for one thing, her promised one year to relax and study music at the women's college before resuming her real education somewhere else would go out the window. So she'd be behind in her pre-medical studies, unable to use her experience as an idol, and would actually be set back musically as well.

She hadn't gotten that all out, of course. Almost any of it. But Yazawa-san, despite seeming ridiculous, wasn't entirely stupid, and Maki decided she'd figured most of it out. The downside was that she was clearly the kind of girl who preferred living in a fantasy world where things worked out. In that respect, she was a lot like A-RISE's Kousaka-san.

A-RISE! Who in their right minds would call what they did music? Maki had really set herself against the school idol idea after seeing them. Sure, they were having fun. But if school life so far had taught her anything, it was that fun was beside the point. Fun was for people not doing anything serious with their lives. Fun was a trap. The most fun she would allow herself would be her musical year in college — as long as she kept making top marks.

Still, she took pity on Yazawa-san, and simply kept playing as that girl sat against the wall. She noticed in her peripheral vision that Yazawa-san had started to tear up a little. It wasn't the first time. It took a couple more pieces before she seemed to snap out of it and be soothed by the music. You couldn't deny she had feelings for it. Maki was impatient with most people, because they didn't really get music. Say what you would, but one, quiet Yazawa Nico might be her ideal audience. The crowds were the bad part of a recital. Expressing yourself was the best part, although seeing other performers' crestfallen expressions sometimes pleased her as well if she'd been in a bad mood the day before.

It was around the time she normally stopped practice. Time to end this stalemate.

"Yazawa-san."

The girl being addressed stood up and came over to the piano.

"Just a second, please wait."

With that, Maki texted her parents that she was going to skip _juku_ tonight, which she was allowed to do periodically. The _juku_ preferred to be called rather than texted for some reason, so she did so. Yazawa-san obviously heard her tell them she was skipping — the Nishikinos only paid for the sessions she attended and her commitment was to one more than 50% of sessions a term.

She turned to Yazawa-san and said, "Let's go to the _kissaten_ by the station. We probably need to talk."

When Yazawa-san didn't say anything (or move), she took her hand and gently pulled her to the door. Maki hated excess talking at best, and particularly doing so if it had no effect.

The whole way to the shoe lockers she kept a grip on Yazawa-san's hand, then grabbed it again after that girl changed shoes, and pulled her towards the door. It looked like she didn't trust her "mentor" to not run away, but in reality, she simply wanted not to waste words, and so far, the childish-looking college student had been cooperative.

When they got in, Maki ordered parfaits. She suggested strawberry and looked at Yazawa-san, who nodded.  Then she ordered Americano coffees for both of them, and paid for everything. She led Yazawa-san to the back, where they seated themselves facing each other over the small table.

Maki told her straight out that she realized that she was the last holdout. That the other girls in the program at the women's college were putting pressure on Yazawa-san to get her mentee to sign up. In fact, she pointed out, she was getting pressure here herself from Kotori, who clearly saw the school idol group as a good way to break the ice with Sonoda-san. And a little from Hanayo, who was too polite to push her, but clearly wanted this. It was hard to disappoint someone so nice.

Even Tsubasa had volunteered the services of her mentor to the cause, although she'd laughed at the idea that they needed a rival idol group at such a small school. Maki smirked when she pointed out their willingness to immediately and unconditionally dispense with Kousaka-san, and what that implied about how valuable A-RISE was finding her.

Interestingly, Yazawa-san made a skeptical face. That reminded Maki of the rumors that Tsubasa had been seen hitting on Kousaka.  However, it wasn't necessarily the case that she would trust her idol group, which she had immediately gotten very enthusiastic over, to a potential girlfriend, even if she was a Performance major. Maki had often reflected on what a grab-bag the whole mentor thing was. Hanayo and Kotori had at least gotten useful mentors, not so much her and Eli and Tsubasa. Come to think of it, as a fellow costume designer, Yazawa would have been a better mentor for Kotori than Sonoda. Had Maki and her switched at the start, both would have benefitted. Technically, Yazawa was also a composer, but ...

Yazawa had yet to say her first word today, but Maki went on, anyway. She might as well use up some of the talking she usually withheld in one go. Simply lay things out and state them plainly.

She told Yazawa-san what she was trying to achieve at school. What her schedule was like. The deal with her parents for an "off year" studying music at the women's college. Yazawa looked more downcast than she had before. It was pretty simple: there weren't enough hours in the day, and the whole thing would do Maki no good.

But that was exactly when everything changed. Yazawa never looked more childlike than when she was trying to bear up and be brave. She cleared her throat, told Maki she understood, and that they should work on a few things for Maki's off year, going forward. Maki could clearly see she was holding back tears.

Hanayo had told her if the program shut down now, none of the girls would get any college credit, nor anything that they could put on their resumes. And without any personal satisfaction so far, Yazawa would have flushed her time down the drain, basically.

Although her mind was fully made up, looking at Yazawa's face made something in Maki's heart twinge.

_The last time she'd felt like this was probably Yazawa's first visit to the piano room. She'd stood in the doorway talking before coming in, and the creepy college student Toujou Nozomi had literally come up behind her and grabbed her breasts, then groped them, blatantly. From the look on Yazawa's face, this action by her alleged friend at college was shocking and unpleasant for her, too. Maki grabbed Yazawa-san, pulled her out of Toujou's grasp, yanked her inside, and all but slammed the door in Toujou's face._

_"We're busy. Go away," was Maki's rude message yelled through the door._

_True to her ways, Toujou just laughed and yelled "I bet you are! Take care of your body, Nicocchi!" before they heard her footsteps leaving. Yazawa had already been red-faced, but that quip just made it worse. Maki, only used to **being** coaxed, had had to coax Yazawa-san into talking to her. What a pain!_

The twinge became blood rushing to her head, making her feel a little faint. She refused to consider what might be going on. Suddenly, she didn't want this conversation to end the way it had been planned to. Yazawa-san was too nice, too accepting of her fate. Was it really true that only the mentee mattered?

It felt a little like being possessed must feel like — if there was any such thing, which there wasn't. Maki found herself asking if Yazawa-san could come over to the Girls' Academy and stay for more time. She even asked to exchange numbers, which, unlike the other four girls, she'd never bothered to do before. 

Yazawa started a texting conversation with her next-oldest sister, Cocoro. Apparently, she'd been given Nico's room, and was doing some of the child-care that the older girl had done before going to college.

Yazawa-san had a precarious situation at college, it turned out. Most of the time she slept on a futon in Nozomi's room (which somehow troubled Maki). When Toujou wanted to bring a girl for the night, Yazawa had to crash with Kousaka, Sonoda or Hoshizora Rin, and since Kousaka and Hoshizora had roommates they basically had to share a bed with her. Sonoda also had a single room, but her schedule was quite early, and she and Yazawa-san weren't as close as she was with Toujou.

At any rate, another element was that once or twice a week, Yazawa-san returned home to do the housework and watch the younger children. When Cocoro came home, she would sleep either in her room, which was Yazawa's old room, or bunk with the two younger children in their room, if Yazawa-san had to be up late studying.

As Yazawa-san explained all that while she was still texting Cocoro, she said she could come to the Girls' Academy and stay longer, and only go home once a week. She asked Maki if she could come home with her then: they'd be able to use Cocoro's room to study and work together, but they'd have to share the bed. Maki said as long as the time worked out, she wouldn't quibble over that. But she added that Yazawa-san had an open invitation to spend the night on a futon in her room while they were working together.

With that out of the way, the ball was in Maki's court again. Yazawa-san was clearly surprised at the turn their conversation had taken. 

"I want Yazawa-san at school to coach me in this idol nonsense. I promise you I would never practice or learn any of it on my own. No interest."

Yazawa-san clearly couldn't hide a big smile. Maki would normally have been annoyed, but she had already figured out why she wasn't. It didn't mean they didn't have to make everything clear.

"But," she said, "when it comes to composing, if I have to do that, we will dispense with this mentor nonsense. Yazawa-san will be my composing flunky. No more, no less."

She looked at Maki uncomprehendingly. 

"Look," Maki began. "In terms of years of learning, when you talk about composing, I am like a college student and Yazawa-san is more like a middle-schooler at best." She actually took Yazawa-san's hands in hers. "What I want from you is this, we work on a song or two together, so you learn the ropes. After that, if I don't have time to do much, I will sketch out a song and have Yazawa-san do most of it. Also when a song theme is suggested, Yazawa-san should write something and give it to me. I will tear it up and rebuild it into something listenable. In fact ... are you done?"

Yazawa was looking at her again in surprise.

"Look, the school is not shut down yet and I have a key to the music room, and permission to stay and play late. We can start your staying over in my room tonight, in fact it's better since my parents are out of town and not on call. And my place is far closer than the college, and has no curfew. Let's at least start on a song, right now. I wasn't kidding when I said I had zero time to waste."

And so it went. On the way she insisted Yazawa-san throw out themes for a song. They settled, for whatever reason, on a duet where two classical tsundere girls were drawn to each other against their will. When they got inside the music room and Maki began throwing out musical phrases, Yazawa-san insisted the tempo be almost doubled. She was actually able to sketch out her desired run at the speed she wanted with one hand on the piano. After that, Yazawa-san sang various runs off of Maki's sketches, and Maki corrected her. She made Yazawa sit at the piano and improvise a bass line, which she tore down and corrected after she sat down in Yazawa-san's place.  After a while, they had a song about half-finished, but very promising, with both of them suggesting lyrics, but Maki doing most of the music and Yazawa-San most of the words. Maki shut the piano, and Yazawa-san stood up to get ready to go.

Maki tugged at her sleeve. "Nico, let's go sit over there for a minute and talk, okay?"

 

* * *

 

Nico noticed it was the first time Maki had ever used her personal name. Something big must still be up. She sat next to the girl against the wall. Maki scooted closer until they were pressed against each other on the side. 

"Look," Maki said.

"I think I _can_ do this, but it won't be all that satisfying for me. I think to stay with it I have to _want_ to do it. And to do that …"

She took Nico's hands in hers again. She stared directly into Nico's eyes.

"Nico, I want more. Much, much more. More for me. More for _us_." She emphasized the last word.

With that, still imprisoning Nico's hands, she leaned over and kissed Nico on the lips. After a while, she broke contact and smiled at Nico.

Nico was still in shock, especially because being kissed by her high-school mentee had felt very natural and pleasant. Well, face it. She'd had to fight practically drooling over the girl. Although she wasn't chasing girls like Nozomi was, Nico was almost equally sure of her sexuality. It did bother her how passive she was. As the older mentor, shouldn't she be making the moves, or raising mature objections? And as she thought that, Maki kissed her again, more passionately.

When they came up for air, Nico had embarrassingly let out a couple of moans. Were you supposed to be moaning into high school girls now? Also, it almost felt like Nico was going to faint. Her thoughts kept getting cloudier.

That's probably why she only peripherally noticed Maki stripping off her jacket and shirt and crawling forward until her middle was pressed on top of Nico's. Maki tangled her fingers in Nico's hair and practically pushed her tongue down Nico's throat. Now they were both moaning, and Maki was muttering words like "Yes!" and "More!" The fluffy, blank feeling came back with a vengeance.

When Nico was able to notice very much again — another break for air — she felt cool air on her chest. She was wearing nothing but her panties. Maki wasn't wearing anything, and Nico felt her lift Nico's rear end and pull her panties off, leaving her equally naked. Then she started kissing Nico wildly, all over, and the fluffy cloud fog enveloped her mind, leaving all rational thought behind.

A half hour later, Maki was locking the piano room. She and Nico were both stark naked in the school corridor, carrying their clothes. They trooped in to the bathroom where they helped clean each other off. It was a task Nico found embarrassingly intimate. That said, for the first time since she'd met her, Maki had a very sunny smile that didn't leave her face. They dressed, and Maki paid for a short taxi ride to the Nishikino manor.

She pointed out that where they were going, she had another piano to use. And a bed.

* * *

 

When they parted ways on the train platform the next morning, Maki kissed Nico and thanked her "for the motivation." 

Nico decided not to second-guess her elation. Sixteen, Maki might be, to her nineteen, but she had a girlfriend! She was probably a huge hypocrite, given how critical she'd been of Nozomi, but who the hell cared? Not only _a_ girlfriend, but _this_ girlfriend — who happened to be the most beautiful girl in the world. And a musical genius. And a genius. And _hers_.

Oh, and the program was quite possibly safe. So who was the #1, crowd-pleasing performer in the universe? "You're looking at her!" she told her reflection in a store window. Observing that, and then observing Yazawa literally skipping down the street for a bit, all three girls in A-RISE laughed uproariously. If anyone was watching them, they'd have seen Tsubasa take out her phone and whisper something to her friends, Toudou Erena and Yuuki Anju. And then heard them laugh much, much louder. Tsubasa had seen Maki and Yazawa come back to her school very, very late. And she knew just how to tease them.

* * *

 

Nico was definitely a crybaby of sorts, Maki observed. Here she was, tearing up again. Then again, both of them, being equally driven, had a good, hard understanding of how painful loneliness could be. If Maki were less stoic, maybe she'd be crying a little, too.

Remembering the night before, she decided pushing Nico down was even more fun than winning a piano contest. Something about dominating and ravishing the little thing pleased her in ways she'd have never imagined. Probably better not to mention _that_ for a while. For the first time ever, as she boarded her train she was absent-mindedly _whistling_.

 

* * *

 

Because Maki was responsible and efficient, Nico arrived at the college with plenty of time to warm up for her first dance class. Owing to the hot, muggy weather, they took a couple of quick lukewarm showers every day. Drying off in the locker room, she caught up with Honoka, Umi, Nozomi and Rin. Honoka looked excited, which wasn't uncommon. She brought out her phone and said, "Wow! Tsubasa-chan says her school has one of the Seven Mysteries now!"

"Which one?" Rin asked, enthusiastically. 

"The music room ghost!" Honoka replied. "Apparently, yesterday, at night some students who had to work late on a project passed by the piano room and they heard loud, unearthly moaning!"  Nico's eyes widened at that, but she avoided any contact with the eyes of the other four girls. Nozomi, however, noticed her stiffening immediately.

"Oooooh!" Honoka exclaims. "Now, that's scary?"

"Oh?" Nozomi said, raising an eyebrow. "There's a scary detail?"

"You bet," said Honoka. "According to Tsubasa, the ghost was heard moaning Nico-chan's name. And over and over, too! And then it screamed!"

It wasn't often a girl laughed so hard she literally fell off the bench, but that's what happened to Nozomi at that point. The sight of the twisting of her sexy, voluptuous body made the other four girls a little uncomfortable, especially Umi. Nozomi laughed so hard it was hard to catch her breath.  But Nico was looking like she was waiting for the other, rather painful, shoe to drop.

Rin, who had become less innocent owing to constant naughty thoughts about Hanayo, caught on, then. So did Umi. Rin laughed, but Umi just made a strangled noise.

Nico forced herself to look over at the pure girl. On her face was an accusing glare that said she felt totally betrayed. Umi had been fending off hot-blooded little Minami Kotori for weeks, and counting on Nico to be the other voice of sanity and ethical conduct in the program. Quite obviously, that had been far too much to expect.

"I'm ... sorry, Umi!" Nico said, sadly. The girl finished drying herself quickly, then dressed equally rapidly and left without a word.  Even worse, what Nico said made Nozomi collapse on the floor in laughter again, and Rin joined her.

The light started to dawn on Honoka, finally. "Wait … Ummm … Nico-chan and Maki-chan? ... Like ... that stuff? For real?"

"No, no no! Of course not! I mean ... No … Um ... maybe?" Nico said, stuttering a little. She turned to Nozomi accusingly. "I probably didn't do anything different from what the rest of you did!" she exclaimed, putting her hands on her hips.

* * *

 

"Ooh, Nicocchi, you naughty, naughty girl!" Nozomi said, coolly, sitting up on the floor. "I'll have you know I and the pure and cute and clever Elicchi have not even kissed yet. Ah, but seeing as how Nico has set the precedent for molesting our charges ..."

"Hanayo and I did kiss!" Rin said. Nico felt incrementally vindicated for a few seconds. "On the cheek!"

Honoka was still texting with Tsubasa. She figured telling Nico that Tsubasa had just been teasing her, with no idea how accurate her little scenario would turn out to be, was a bad idea. So she smiled and encouraged Nico to cheer up. "After all, Maki-chan is very cool and beautiful — "

"For someone barely old enough to drive," Nozomi continued. 

"Stop that, Nozomi-chan! Anyway, and her songwriting is essential to our plan to save the program, so Nico is sacrificing her purity for us all like a heroine in an anime." The way Honoka phrased it put an idea in Rin's head, and she sat on the floor near Nozomi and whispered to her. Nozomi nodded her head rapidly.

"Rin has raised a good point. I feel like I am picking on Nicocchi too much. Perhaps ... Rin?"

"Maybe Nico is not to blame. Maybe the forceful Maki-chan gave her no choice!"

"Yes, that's very possible. The prince, Maki-chan, princess-carries Nicocchi to her boudoir in the music room!"

"Her hot-blooded, passionate kisses reduce Nico-chan's willpower to zero. Her resistance weakens even as she beats her delicate feminine hands on Maki's chest!" Rin was quoting one of Hanayo's romance mangas.

"'I know it's wrong' Nicocchi says, 'But I can resist no longer!'"

"Make me a woman, Mistress Nishikino!" they said in unison, falling back to the floor.

Nico had the _worst_ luck, Honoka mused. From the way her face had turned even redder, and she was almost gasping for breath, Honoka realized that, yet again, the teasing had hit a bullseye. Well, maybe this would help Nico make up with Umi-chan.

From the expressions on both Honoka's and Nico's faces, Rin and Nozomi realized that also, a little later. Nico and Honoka made it to their next class on time, but the two laughing girls ended up being a little late.

 

* * *

 

As she headed to class, Nico texted Maki. Belatedly, she remembered Maki warning her as she saw her off to "say nothing. Loose lips sink ships. Treat your college crowd like a police interrogation unit."

She didn't regret apologizing to Umi, but should have followed her out and said it away from the others, she decided. And of course, accusing the others of being just as bad had been a huge error. 

"What did we learn from this, Nico-chan?"

"That Maki is always right."

There was a pause. Maki had sent a screen capture of their conversation with "Maki is always right" highlighted. 

Then came another text. "As long as that's established, Nico-chan, I say all's well that ends well."

...

"And my parents are still out of town."

 

 

 


	3. Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> AU Yeah August 3: Single Parent
> 
> Nishikino Maki's made it out from under an oppressive structure built by her pushy and demanding parents. Now what?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize that this undisciplined quasi-novella should be masquerading as a "short." Hope it's enjoyable, nonetheless.

Doing this wasn't pleasant, but like a checklist when doing surgery, it was necessary. Now that Maki was on her own, every day was a battle, and their budget was the logistics. It was currently a logistics covering the whole table in their modest apartment, and it didn't even include all the bills she would have to pay in the months ahead. She hadn't arranged for them all yet. Not even for Nico.

The little girl was asleep, and Maki had another week before things became brutal and she wouldn't be home very much. She noted that down as the first item — she'd have to budget a lot for childcare. Their nice apartment before had been such a trap. It had provided "free" daycare, which of course came out of the exorbitant rent. She reflected on the fact that Nico and her only had each other.

It wasn't a budget item, but ...

It turned out Koizumi Hanayo was still in her contacts.

"Hey," she heard herself saying. "Sorry I haven't called before. Is it a good time?"

"Oh gods! Is that you, Maki-chan?" she heard a familiar excited voice respond. However, she could also hear another voice she recognized in the background, saying, "Wow, she finally bothers to call you, Kayo-chin. What's up, I wonder?"

Maki soldiered on. "Is Rin there, too? Tell her hi."

"She says 'Hi!'," she heard Hanayo say away from the phone.

"How are you, Maki-chan? We haven't heard anything in ages except you got married ... umm kind of young for a doctor I thought ... not that there's anything wrong with that."

"I'm not very good at all Hanayo. I'm not married anymore, but I do have a daughter now. Do you want to see a picture?"

"Oh! Umm ... yes!"

Maki texted her one of Nico's recent pictures. "Look, it's Maki-chan's daughter," she heard Hanayo saying. "Ohh! Cuuuute!" came from Rin. "Ask her what her name is!"

Maki asked Hanayo to put her on speaker.

"Hi, Rin! Umm her name is Nico. And you're right, I have been a very neglectful friend. Can I just say life's been absolutely terrible and I haven't had even one free moment for a couple of years now?"

"Oh, Nico? Like the singer?" Hanayo gushed.

"Yeah, like the singer. I was never a big pop music fan, but when things were really, really dark one time, I heard one of her songs playing in the break room and somehow I felt like she understood what it was like to be where I was and ... somehow made me feel a little hopeful."

"She doesn't have many songs out yet, so I could probably guess which one. You know, that girl, she had a very hard time in life, so you're right, she's not an airhead or anything. Wait, did you name your daughter for her?"

"Whoa!" she heard Rin say. "Nico is one of Kayo-chin's favorites, too!"

"Yeah, I did. Umm, by the time she was born I was already divorced, so she's just Nishikino Nico. And she wasn't born in my parents hospital. For one thing, _he_ was still there, and I told them it wasn't safe for me to be there, too."

"Wasn't ... safe?" Hanayo said, bewildered.

"No. The reason we got divorced as quickly as I could manage it was that he didn't stop beating me even after I was pregnant, and I worried I'd lose her. Which is ironic, you know. I didn't want to have a baby this young, he forced himself on me and didn't let me take any precautions."

"Maki-chan!" she heard Rin's voice saying. She was definitely shocked.

"Maki-chan, if it's sensitive ..." she heard Hanayo say, in her soft manner.

"That's why I called. You two are the only ones I have left, besides my daughter.  I'll tell you anything. Can you forgive me for not contacting you till now?"

"Of course!" they both said.

"Anyway, everything's changed. Here's where I am living now - Shouhei Bridge Apartments number 69 on the third floor."

"What???" she heard Hanayo exclaim.

"It's not that bad. It's nice, given what we can afford, really."

"Rin, it's literally next door!" she thought she heard her whisper.

"Hanayo did you move?"

Hanayo squeaked. "M-Me? No! Still h-here."

Rin piped up. "Maki-chan will have a good surprise sooner or later." For some reason, she laughed.

"I'm glad I caught you there, Rin. Do you visit Hanayo a lot?"

"Hmmm. Rin should visit more. Maki-chan got lucky."

"B-but Rin and I are talking about that. She's going to visit more. You should visit, too!"

"In a week, I'll be pulling long shifts at my new hospital. Is it okay to visit tomorrow? And bring Nico?"

"Can you join us for breakfast? I don't know when Rin has to leave."

"You bet, we're both early risers."

Maki told them about her new hospital, and the school she'd transferred to to continue her trainee period. Her scholarships had gone away and she'd had to take out a loan, but she was making a point of needing as little money as possible, and putting most of that into Nico. Now that the pressure to be ahead of the rest was off her, she could also sacrifice some of her career ambition to making time for Nico personally. She didn't want things to turn out like they had for her with her parents.

Rin told her about her college sports coming to an end. She had decided she wanted to continue, but not exactly how. Hanayo told her about working part-time at a kindergarten and participating in singing contests. Apparently, she'd practiced with Rin and they'd entered — and won, handily — a big contest near where Rin lived now. It sounded like they were almost gravitating to being partners. Maki no longer cared about propriety, so she hoped that was the case.

 Maki told them she still had budgeting to do and was going to turn in early. 

 

* * *

 

 

Because Hanayo was a shrewd guesser, it was the same song she'd heard in the break room playing when she got to Hanayo's house. Hearing the song, Maki teared up, but that was fine, since after Rin and Hanayo hugged her, Hanayo making sure not to disturb Nico, they all cried. When Nico woke up, Maki put her down and she managed to say hello to Rin and Hanayo. Maki then led her over to a floor cushion and sat her on it. 

Hanayo's aunt, who had no children but adored Hanayo, had chipped in with her mother to buy a tidy little cottage. It made Hanayo have to commute a bit to teach kindergarten, but it had no rent, only property taxes. She couldn't help but think it would be ideal for Rin and Hanayo - but she hadn't been in contact with them enough to play matchmaker, even if she wanted to.

Fortunately for them all, Nico was sleepy enough that they were able to put her to sleep on a floor cushion placed in the room Rin had been sleeping in, and they could talk about serious, or perhaps dire, matters.

"She's so cute, Maki-chan!" Rin squealed.

"Yes, now that she's all I have left, I can really appreciate her."

"What happened, Maki-chan?" Hanayo asked. They'd managed to seat themselves at a little table and Hanayo already had tea ready, so she poured it for everyone.

"My parents, is the short answer. They forced me to marry another trainee, from a good family. They said they would stop me from being a doctor if I didn't obey. I had already graduated and passed my exams, so they meant they would black-ball me."

Already, Hanayo and Rin were a combination of sad and shocked.

"I thought he wanted to get in on the hospital with me once I became a doctor, but I was wrong. He wanted to end my medical career and use the marriage to take the Nishikino hospital over. That's why he forced me to get pregnant. He wasn't nice at all, so there was no attraction. Not that he cared"

"Anyway, when I got a divorce on grounds of cruelty, my parents felt I was defying them. Even though they'd told him they didn't want me to have children so soon, they sided with him. It was a real insult to my mom, because the impression was that a guy should take over the hospital, regardless. But she, even being a doctor herself, put up with it, and sided with my father."

"I started talking to the papers. Not about my situation, but just so my name would be in there. And the reporters would get to know me. It was a warning to my family. I had some money from a stipend from my parents, and I spent it hiring a lawyer. Unfortunately, the other parties, my husband and parents, could afford a full-time lawyer better than I could get."

"I think I made my situation better, though not by much. I promised my father I would ruin him if he tried to ruin me. I told his colleagues as much as I could get away with. I contacted women's organizations. I couldn't finish my trainee period at Nishikino because my former husband was still prominent there.  Earlier the medical college I was at was affiliated with Nishikino, and unsure of what would anger them, so they forfeited my scholarships to their general fund and I had to suddenly take out a loan. It got much uglier after that. I decided to at least ruin the wife-beater. I told two different papers what he'd done, what he was like. I got a message from my father saying they would support my ex-husband in claims I was cheating on him. I replied with a message that I would tell the papers and the police he'd molested me as a child."

Rin and Hanayo were wide-eyed.

"No, he never was around long enough for that to be an issue. But I didn't cheat on my husband, either. Just telling you how ugly it got. Also, although he's from a good family, he's still just finishing his trainee period, so he got a very small amount of support money to pay for Nico. For my part, I have prevented him from seeing her. The same hospital I had her in has my injuries on file. I turned them over to the police. He can never see her unsupervised and has no formal visitation rights. My parents managed to keep him from getting arrested. The funny part is, he's not as good a doctor as I am, to the degree you can tell at the trainee level. So my parents are getting an unscrupulous, worse doctor who causes harm instead of healing it, and wouldn't follow their orders about having children, either. That's the price, so far, of their need to have me obey them. And if he takes over the hospital, he'll run it into the ground. Well, not my problem anymore."

"Ummm," Hanayo was having a hard time asking questions. "And when all that happened was when you heard Nico's song?"

"Pretty much."

"Well .. Umm .. Good for her!"

"Hanayo is such an idol otaku, Rin thinks she sometimes forgets why she became that way. She used to tell Rin she thought an idol's goal was making people smile, especially when they're sad or tired."

"Well ... it made me less frowny, I think."

"Good enough!" Rin said, with a thumbs-up.

They turned the conversation to pleasanter topics, and Maki got plenty of hugs. By the time she got Nico home, she felt much better. Back to the budget? 

She noticed a note she'd written: "Bring gifts for the neighbors." 

"Let's go to the store, baby. If you get tired on the way, I'll carry you." While Nico was precocious for her age, she was actually physically small, so carrying her was still never an issue. Nico nodded, and they went out with a reusable bag.

Maki decided to get little boxes of soap. They came in nice packages, weren't expensive, and were traditional. Now that money was tight, she didn't want to spoil Nico, so she got her her favorite fruit for being patient at the konbeno, and a box of ice cream to eat at home. Not only was money an issue now, she no longer had to keep up Nishikino appearances. Her family name could perish in flames for all she cared. But she put her full name and apartment number on the cards that came with the soap nonetheless.

Nico wanted to meet the neighbors too, and Maki thought it was a good idea. They first went down to number 69 on the second floor, where a retired professor lived. He appreciated the greeting, and Maki's normal usage came off as very polite. They then traveled to number 69 on the fourth floor. It turned out to be empty. Maki remembered this year Shoushei Bridge apartment building was being reviewed for earthquake proofing, and it was somewhat old. It could be people didn't want to move in to a building that could be condemned in a couple of years.

Number 70 on their floor was also empty. Not so number 68.

The woman there managed to be vivacious and tired at the same time. She told Maki the government job she had (she had another private job, apparently) was having a crisis and wanted her in early. As she dashed off, leaving the door open, she asked Maki what her little girl's name was. On being told it was Nico, she exclaimed "How interesting! My .. Oh sorry, bye!" apparently realizing she had to run.

Maki looked at the open door. Suddenly, a girl that looked very much like her mother was standing in it. "That's my mom, Kotono," she said. I'm Yazawa Cocoro. Pleased to meet you and ..." and she looked at the soap. Maki handed one of the packages to her. "Nishikino? Are you with the hospital?" Maki had to admit she no longer was. "No problem, we go to the near one anyway." When she found out Maki was a trainee there, she perked up, and thanked her for the gift.

"I made a bunch of tea, you and your child should come have some," she decided. Meeting the neighbors was something Maki had never had to do before, so she decided to make it as good as she could. "If you're quite sure ... pardon me for intruding!" Maki said. She took her own shoes off, and then Nico's.

Two other children, middle-schoolers probably,  were already at the table, which was as small as hers. It would be a somewhat tight squeeze with her,  Nico and Cocoro, so Maki took Nico on her lap. Cocoa and Cotarou, the two kids, said hi. 

"Hello, I am your new neighbor, Nishikino Maki. And this is Nico."

"No it's not!" said Cotarou, seriously.

"No, dummy, she means that's her name, too," Cocoa said, helpfully.

"Nico is our oldest sister," Cocoro explained. "So it's really cool she has the same name. Maybe it's like in Western movies, Nico-nee-san can be her godmother!"

"In this case, I actually named her for the singer that's been out there for a couple of years."

All three children looked at each other. "You - you did?" Cocoro asked.

"As expected of Nico-nii," Cocoa said. Cocoro looked at the other two and made a shushing motion.

"Oh," she said. "Mom texted me, she's at work safely. Wait, this is good. Nee-san is going to make dinner tonight! Just a second .. Oh wonderful ... she says if you wish you and Nico can join us. We have another table we bring out, so there'll be room."

Maki realized Nico didn't understand everything you said to her, but she still asked if having dinner here was okay with her, and she nodded in response. There was lamenting only having two friends in the world, and there was not putting off people who were being friendly. Even if the person in question this time was a few years younger. Since her tea was finished, she got up and said her goodbyes. She agreed to bring Nico back with her at seven for dinner.

After the door closed, Cocoro leaned her back against it.

 _Holy crap is she hot!_ She thought to herself.

 

* * *

 

 

When they got back to number 68, Kotono was back. A girl she hadn't met yet, who looked close in age to Cocoro, came out wearing an apron and with a platter of food. This must be Nico, the oldest. On second look, Maki couldn't help but notice how attractive she was. _Holy crap is she hot!_ she heard herself thinking. Which was weird. As far as she knew, she wasn't gay. Then again, her only sexual experience was with a man who was tantamount to a rapist.

"You must be Nishikino-san," the girl said, with a very sweet expression, as she set the food down. "Such a cute little girl! What's your name, honey?" She crouched down, although to be honest, she was so tiny herself she didn't have to crouch very much.

"Ni-nico!" was the response. Nico hid partway behind Maki. This was a stranger, after all.

"Ohhh!" said the older Nico, theatrically putting both hands to her mouth. "Can I .. can I show her something about our name?"

Maki had resolved to get along and it didn't sound dangerous. 

The girl made little hooks with her hands and said "Nico Nico nii!" like when you say "please smile!" when taking a picture.

"Yazawa Nico sends a smile straight to your heart! Love, Nico"

The last part was said while making a heart shape with her two hands. 

Then she repeated the whole process using Nishikino Nico. Whether it was her goofy antics, or recognizing the girl's own name, Maki was unsure. But her daughter smiled, shyly.

At that, Nico said "My job here is done, back to the kitchen."

It so happened, as Maki was eating, there was a Nico on either side of her. The older one whispered to her, "You, on the other hand, are going to be a tough case, I think."

Cocoro tapped Nico on the shoulder then, and they went around the corner to talk about something.

 

* * *

 

  
"Onee-chan .. please ... dont just 'wow' her, okay?" Cocoro pleaded.

"Oho, is that the direction of the wind, now?"

Though red-faced, Cocoro nodded.

"Well, okay. No 'wowing.' But you better hurry up and tell her, or it won't be me you have to worry about. She's not someone it's hard to fall for."

Cocoro closed her eyes. "I will. Tomorrow, in fact. She said she only has free time now, so tomorrow I will ask her to get coffee. And I'll tell her then."

"I don't want to jinx this, baby, but if things don't work out?"

"Wow away, Onee-chan!" Cocoro said, but then added, " _only_ if they don't."

When they got back, Maki noticed Nico and Cocoro switched places. Well. That was a bit obvious. She'd really have to ask how old Cocoro was. Maybe ...

She looked over at Cocoa and said, "If you don't mind me asking, how old are you?"

Cocoa didn't seem to mind. "Me and Cotarou are twins - second year in high school."

Second what? Maki blinked.

Kotono laughed. "That's the Yazawa Curse for the young ones ..."

"And the Yazawa Blessing for us older ones," Nico finished.

"So, is Cocoro in high school, too?" 

That girl turned red. 

"No, no, junior in college, actually. We are all aware we look young. I got hit with the biggest dose though," Nico said. "You should ask Cocoro where she is on the scale. Me and Mama see it as a blessing now."

"Mixed bag," Cocoro decided. She was grateful to Nico for turning the spotlight back on her. "You get away with more with a young innocent face, but everyone thinks you have a fake ID, which is annoying. If I need to go do something at the high school I can always use Cocoa's ID or my old one, and Onee-chan used hers not long ago, so apparently she can still pass. It also means guys are more careful about hitting on you, which I am grateful for."

"Nishikino-san," she suddenly said, "I hear you only have free time right now. Tomorrow morning I have nothing to do. Have you been to the coffee shop that's three blocks away from here yet?"

"Well," Maki considered. "It couldn't be for too long, I still haven't arranged child care, so I'd have to bring Nico."

"That's fine. Oh and if you need it on a short term basis Cocoa is a good babysitter ..." At that, Cocoa raised her hand and smiled.

Maki would definitely consider it, she reflected. As for what was going on with the coffee thing, maybe bringing Nico along to remind the younger girl that she was a mother with child would help it not go too far.

"We should discuss that later if that's okay with you and your mother, Cocoa?" Maki asked. Both of them smiled and nodded.

At that point, she heard the voice of the same singer she'd heard at Hanayo's place. It was coming from one of the rooms. Cocoro stood up.

"Oh, that's an alarm I set in case I napped before dinner," she said. "Wanna see my room?" Maybe it was all the high school talk, but it seemed like Cocoro was reverting. "Umm, never mind!"

Maki decided to honor her request and stood up, making sure Nico knew she was coming back. 

Bright red and tongue-tied, Cocoro led her to the room. There were several idol posters, but she noticed that ones with the name Nico on them predominated. 

"Are you a fan?" Maki asked, indicating the posters with her eyes. 

"Yes, well, I am, but ... a lot of this is still here from when this was Onee-chan's room."

As they left, it occurred to Maki that the singer looked a lot like Cocoro. Maybe that was part of the appeal? It made something like what she was doing more of a possible dream.

When she got back to the table, the food had been cleared and there was some cake at her place and a small cup of coffee. She made a point of catching the older Nico's eye.

"So you and your sister seem to be big Nico fans, I see. I like her too, so I noticed."

Nico looked at her, bewildered.

"Are you for real?" she asked.

Maki felt uncomfortable. What had she said that was offending the girl?

"Onee-chan," Cocoa began. "Onee-chan, she doesn't know, honest!"

"Ahhhh, sorry, Nishikino-san. My fault. I thought you were teasing me or something."

Maki was still confused.

Nico took a poster from the wall and went back to the table. She posed exactly like the Nico in the poster, right next to it.

The light finally dawned. This wasn't any old Nico. This was _the_ Nico. No wonder she was confused, too.

"Ah, n-no," she stuttered. "I wouldn't, in fact, tease you ... I ..." and then she blurted it out. "I named my daughter for you!"

 

* * *

 

 

Maki was still embarrassed by the time she went for coffee with Cocoro.

Nico had been so charmed, she'd given Maki a signed copy of her second, most recent album. Apparently, during and after high school Nico had been a part of several groups - Smile Swallowtail Ear, Muse, A-RISE - and had only gone solo a couple of years ago, when Maki heard the inspiring song off her first album. She signed it "To my god-daughter and her charming mother."

Nico had made a point of having Cocoro sign the album, too. When Maki blinked at that, Nico drew her attention to three songs on the album. "I'll try to always have at least one song with lyrics by Cocoro," she explained, "and this one has three. Since there are some cover versions, she and I split the lyrics on the originals."

Cocoro had looked happy, but embarrassed, as Nico explained that. At that point, Maki's Nico had started to fall asleep, so she had said her goodbyes and gone home.

She and Cocoro had had a pleasant coffee outing so far, and they were lingering over their second cups. 

From how red Cocoro turned, she realized what the girl was going to bring up.

"Nishikino-san, would you consider dating me?" she asked.

It was more straightforward than Maki had anticipated.

"Hmm ... give me a minute," she replied. Then:

"Well I have certainly not ever thought of dating another woman ... you are very pretty and charming, no doubt about that. Still, I should be honest, right?"

Cocoro nodded.

"I hope this doesn't cause problems, but I think I have a little crush on your older sister. And I also don't know when I'll have time to date anyone, really."

 _Rats_ , Cocoro thought. _I was too late._ Well, to be fair, her Onee-chan had done her best not to steal her away. It just hadn't been enough.

"Ah. It's a very crushing disappointment, since my crush on you is not little. But I should say ... if I like you, Onee-chan will like you, too. We are pretty similar in these things."

"Oh no, has she stolen a lot of girls from you?"

"No. I mean, not really at all. For one thing, she was usually honoring a no-date contract of some sort. And she didn't, like, come to the high school or college and start hitting on anyone. But she could look at the albums and tell me which ones I liked, because she did, too. More like that."

"So was it at first sight?" Maki asked.

"Totally. I mean, when you left us the soap, I was like shuddering and thinking 'Holy crap is she hot!'" Cocoro admitted. "So possibly it's just me being dazzled by your beauty."

Maki laughed. "Okay, not laughing at you but ... when I first saw grown-up Nico? Those were my exact thoughts. So I must be dazzled, too."

"You probably noticed her giving me my shot, huh?"

"It was easy to spot, yeah. I would probably not mind spending time with you, Cocoro, but I didn't want to lead you on."

Cocoro cried a little, and Maki hugged her. Then she said, "Time for me to be a little more social at college, so I don't dwell on it, I think."

Maki looked at her understandingly.

"But let's not let this be in vain. Onee-chan has never dated. You've never dated a girl. You're suddenly attracted to one. You're both insanely busy, but that means you will know how to work people you care about into your schedule. You should go for it!"

"Go for it?"

"If I could do this, you can. Here's Onee-chan's private cell number. Don't reveal it even under torture!"

"Oh, I meant to ask you about that!" Maki cried. "How the heck does she get away with coming here? Why isn't the press hassling her?"

"Well, the short answer is that we phone her if they come around, and she changes her visit day. Her family apartment is listed in her bio, but she has her own little apartment a few train stops away. So no one thinks she hangs out here as much as she actually does."

"But if she's been successful with her groups and solo work, why do you still have to live here?"

"A lot of reasons. The first two groups made very little money. She was only an associate of A-RISE. With the money she did make, Nico created a fund to put us all through college, first, if we needed it. Second, we were working on winding down mom's hours so now she works less than 40 hours a week instead of almost 60 if you count commuting. But the apartment is still close to both of her jobs. It's also sentimental, cuz it's the apartment our dad got us. Only Nico and I remember him, and he's real blurry to me. Nico was a daddy's girl, so when he died it really did bad things to her and mom in particular. The rest of us just felt incomplete growing up with only one parent — not that we didn't grow up okay, so don't worry about your Nico, or anything."

"We're actually moving some time this year. We're worried Shouhei Bridge is going to be condemned for not being quake-safe anyway, so it seemed like a great idea. It's only now Nico can afford to move us as a family. We're very close, we had to be to survive."

Maki suddenly remembered Hanayo telling her that Nico had had a hard time growing up. That seemed to be the case. And come to think of it:

"Oh, I think one of my friends realized I'd be your neighbor. And she seemed to know Nico would visit a lot. She and another friend were snickering when I told them where I'm living now."

"Haha and she didn't tell you anything, right? How mischievous! You know, the real idol otakus would notice that Nico admitted she still visited us a lot in one or two of her concert videos."

"That'd be her. She also told me that the song I found so inspiring came about because Nico knew what it was like to be in a terrible place."

"She really does. Not only our father dying and us becoming poor, and mom having to work all the time and Nico being the mom ... the first group, Smile Swallowtail Ear was just a different reading of their names, Nico, Ageha and Mimi. It was a purely high school idol group, but it was popular. They got on compilation albums with other groups and got some press. The other two girls quit once the pressure got too insane. They still all get royalties when someone covers one of their songs. But Nico went completely depressed when they quit. She gave up trying to be a performer and kind of just wallowed in despair. When another group started at the same school, Muse, they sought her out as a veteran, and she told them it was just a pipe-dream. Anyway, somehow they persuaded her to help, and they were able to stretch their popularity out even after most of them graduated. That's what brought attention to her and let her collaborate with A-RISE and then solo. But for a year or so, she really gave up hope, I think. That's what that song is about. Don't jump to conclusions that life can't possibly get better, no matter how bad it is."

They were about to leave, but Cocoro was still fidgeting. "I don't suppose I could get one kiss, could I?" she finally asked.

Wordlessly, Maki gave her one.

"Oh. Wow." Cocoro said. "Okay, thank you. Hmmm. Now I think you should text Onee-chan. Soon."

At least when they parted ways, Cocoro was smiling. "Don't forget to tell her that you were 'pre-wowed,' Maki-san!"

* * *

It turned out Nico's window of availability was similar to Maki's. She admitted, once they'd texted back and forth a lot, that she was really interested in Maki, and would be happy to see her namesake again. So, though they both felt bad about Cocoro, they went on a date a day after her confession. Cocoa had to study, so Nico was being watched by her at the Yazawa home. Cocoro was staying with a friend in the dorms, and re-establishing ties with girls she'd been interested in in the past, according to what she'd told her little sister.

Maki was on a budget, but Nico's budget was larger, so she paid for most of the date. They had such a good time, by the time they made it back to number 69, it was pretty clear they were enchanted with each other.

"I don't know how this works," Nico admitted.

"Neither do I," Maki said.

"Do you think this is a sexual kind of thing?"

"Ummm ... mmm hmm," Maki said. They'd both had a moderate amount to drink, so she nodded in a decisive but tipsy way.

When they went into Maki's bedroom, they both stripped. Nico was frozen in admiration of Maki at first, but then looked embarrassed. Without any clothing, she really looked like a young teenager.

"Sorry I don't have much," she said.

"Mmmmm you're so pretty!" Maki said, not really paying attention to what Nico was saying.

Relieved, Nico replied, "Yeah, we'll go with that."

They got in bed together and just kissed and cuddled at first. Later on, Nico told her, "Made you smile! Even the tough cases eventually surrender." Maki was too busy smiling to comment.

The next morning, when they went to get young Nico, they were hand in hand. Kotono had already left for work, and they knew Cocoa would have to get ready for school soon. Cocoa looked at their hands significantly, but she smiled. As Maki paid her for caring for Nico, she told her the girl had behaved like an angel.

Nico surprised Maki. After she ran forward and hugged Maki, she turned and did the same thing to her older namesake.

"Nico-nii is really good with kids, Maki-san. We're living proof!" Cocoa exclaimed.

Nico the older was charmed when she found out that Nico-chan had remembered most of her Nico Nico-nii phrases. "Smart kid," she said.

 

* * *

 

None of the other trainees were single parents, so the first week for trainees at her new hospital was geared to impossible, stress-filled hours. Maki had had to stretch her resources to pay for child care. She'd also had Cocoa babysit as much as possible, and even left Nico with Hanayo for a day. 

Knowing what it was going to be like, her father decided she would be vulnerable to another campaign of bullying. He spread the word that Maki had been a careless trainee, and used drugs on the job. He even involved her ex-husband, giving him Maki's address and schedule. Maki managed to get the police to restrain her ex-husband, and she requested that another case be opened for his abuse of her. She point-blank told the police official that her father had been obstructing justice and probably corrupting the police in keeping him from being prosecuted. She also filed a hundred-million-yen lawsuit against her father and Nishikino hospital, and sent a letter to the hospital board detailing why her ex-husband should never be allowed to take the hospital over. The board agreed with her, and her father dissolved the board in response. But when he reconstituted a board, to stay certified, it was unlikely they would rule any differently. Meanwhile, the lawsuit had no chance of proceeding, but her lawyer, when she could afford him, had told her any lawsuit big enough to get in the press had its own value simply on that basis.

In general, the word was spreading that there was civil war in the Nishikino hospital family, and that was good for Maki. She contacted her mother and asked why she was abetting such obvious villainy. Her mother's response was that she had put up with suffering for the sake of the hospital, and Maki should, as well. She told Maki she had been spoiled. Maki pointed out that her ex-husband had sought to end her career and eliminate her from control of the hospital. What possible benefit could they be getting out of any of this?

"The only reason you had to marry that man is that you refused to pick from the ones we had you meet, Maki. You could have had a long engagement, but you said you didn't care if you got married, you were too busy with your studies. All the families with eligible sons weren't very happy with that. When I picked your father out from the men your grandparents had me meet, I made sure it was someone who would give me time to finish my training. That man we pushed on you brought us a lot of clout, and a lot of good deals on medical equipment. His family helped us keep the hospital prosperous. Did you ever even tell us you disliked him? Or even get to know him? If we had left it to you, you would never have even gotten engaged. Or at least not to a man."

Maki asked her what she meant by _that_.

"We knew all about your little friends that liked to kiss other girls. Completely unnatural."

"You mean my cousin? Why are you bringing her up?"

"Yes, your favorite cousin, the lesbian tramp. If you're not going to appreciate men anyway, dear, then why should we care which man you marry, if you don't?"

"Both of you should have been sterilized, and banned for life from adopting anyone. You're not parents, you're monsters. But thanks, 'mother,' for reminding me about Riko."

She ended the call to her mother and texted her cousin, who, like Hanayo, was still in her contacts, even though Maki had neglected her. Shockingly, she already knew Maki's entire situation.

"Here's the deal cousin I know nico and tsubasa pretty well and may i say you have one of the most sought after girlfriends out there you go maki."

"also that nutty lawsuit of yours is gonna be jumped on now tsubasa isnt rich but she and nico have some money your nutty parents are in for a shock heres the number for the lawyer they just got you also be sure to ask nicos mom about your mom big surprise there love you cuz"

Maki didn't have time to process all of this. She would barely make the train to get Nico at daycare. Unfortunately, the week she'd had had taken its toll, and Maki collapsed by the employees' exit.

 

* * *

 

 

Nico waited at the daycare until it closed, then had to wait outside with a janitor. The daycare staff had Hanayo as a backup number, but she'd turned off her phone for a musical event. Maki's phone had no response, either, and when they called the hospital she worked at, they said she'd collapsed. They gave the daycare another emergency contact for Maki, her neighbor, Yazawa Kotono. It was another hour before the girl named Cocoro came walking up to get her.  Nico ran over to her, grabbed her, and cried loudly.

Although Maki had left a spare key in the Yazawas' apartment, there was no point in leaving Nico in an empty place. The Yazawas fed her and comforted her until she fell asleep in Cocoa and Cotarou's room.

Maki didn't want to criticize her new hospital — in many ways, they'd rescued her from a terrible situation. But as she recovered in her hospital room, the chief of training apologized, anyway. He asked Maki what had been going on. He cringed when he learned that the Nishikino patriarch had used Maki's situation to further stress her. He told her he was embarrassed that they had done nothing whatsoever to accommodate her child, even though they knew she was a single parent cut off from her family.

Maki reassured him. She was upset that the whole situation had endangered her child, of course, and probably made her less effective as a trainee. But she had no desire to be seen as a problem doctor. She was going to be consistently reasonable here because that way the contrast with how she reacted to Nishikino hospital would be highlighted.

As compensation, the trainee director told her, she would get eighty hours of child-care leave this year, and their apologies. They realized Maki wasn't trying to get ahead by being compensated, but needed as much spare time as she could acquire to raise her child. Maki had been such a good trainee, on balance, that the director hoped they could lure her to stay on as regular staff, in fact.

After the director left, new people came in. One Nico was carrying another, and Kotono was with them. Nico gently placed little Nico next to her mother. The girl hugged her tightly and started to cry. Maki felt horribly guilty, but when Nico almost immediately fell asleep, she felt better.

"Maki-san," Kotono said. "I am going to show you a magic trick. I am going to make your mother's anger disappear." She winked at Maki. "Your mother had a cell phone when I knew her, and it turns out she's the kind that never lets go of her number."

"Kikuko! How you been? This is Kotono. Look. Either you tell your daughter about your high-school GIRL-friend, or I do. Handing it over to her right now!"

"Her name is Noriko. It's Minami Noriko now. She was the headmistress at your high school," Maki heard. Her mother sounded exhausted.

"How could you possibly say what you did to me? How on Earth?"

"I wanted you to not fail. Look what your father and I achieved, against the odds. We built a great hospital. The hospital I inherited was a mere clinic by the time we took it over. We've saved countless lives, Maki. We've healed the sick. And we did it without reducing people to beggars. Because I listened to your grandparents, Maki, after I graduated, we did all that. We had you. We gave you the best medical preparation anyone could ask for. And Noriko got Kotori, and she got to preserve the school we both loved. Real life isn't like a shoujo novel."

"Honestly, I suppose you're no worse than Nico's awful companies with their no-dating rules. But gods, the hypocrisy of it all. And in the end, what you two did to me has all but ruined your achievements already."

"I won't even bother to ask who the Nico that's not you daughter is, honey. What do you want?"

"What do I want? I'm not blackmailing you, mom. I'm .. I'm upbraiding you."

"I understood that part. I repeat, what do you want? You've put your father in a very vulnerable position. He'll do as I say. I have the family connections, and the hospital is very precarious, especially with a new board. Do you wish to be reinstated here as a trainee?"

Maki's bitter laugh answered that one.

"So what _do_ you want?"

"Isn't it obvious? Get rid of him."

"Ah. Yes, he really is the cancer on the hospital, isn't he? Well, keeping him from being arrested has given us such a bad reputation, anyway. What else?"

"I've gotten extra legal help on the lawsuit ..."

"We were so informed. You probably won't stand a chance of winning, but it could hang in the courts until it ruins all of us. But you've already been mostly ruined, haven't you? Dropping down to where you and Nico are on government assistance would probably be a relief, if anything. Don't mind me, just thinking out loud. Why did you bring that up?"

"I'll settle for what you cost me in scholarships. Scholarships I earned, and that were stolen from me illegally and unethically. That's all in the lawsuit. I'll use some of it to pay off the loan I had to take."

"That's no more than twenty percent of what you were asking for, after all. And the hospital won't have to admit fault. So it's a bargain. We'll talk again after I've made progress, but it won't be a very long wait. Get well, Maki. Your father and I both went through this. We knew we had to be twice as good as anyone else if we were going to make real changes in our medical careers. We both knew what it was like to wake up on the other side of the chart in our training period." She ended the call on her end.

Maki shook her head. Her parents were a pair of fanatics. She couldn't help but contrast them with the loving, if poor and uninfluential, Yazawas. It takes all kinds to make up a world, of course, but Maki was realizing she was more of their kind than her own family.

 

* * *

 

 

 

The fanatics moved fast. Her ex-husband was arrested the next day. Both of her parents made statements to the police. Her father's statement didn't mention his own obstruction, or explain the long delay, but to his credit, he didn't make up something to throw all the blame on the arrested trainee. He simply ignored the issue. 

The day after that, the lawyer Nico and Tsubasa had gotten her presented her with a settlement agreement.  Her mother, presumably, had added back in compensation for emotional distress. That put the hospital on the hook a bit for negligence, but the lawyer said it would also make the settlement not look like a whitewash. The terms would be disclosed to the public, after all. 

 

* * *

 

After the Yazawas moved out, a few train stops away, number 68 was empty. Maki was able to rent it at a steep discount. It was common knowledge the building hadn't passed its earthquake testing, so any rent was better than none.

Nico and her friends visited whenever they could. Maki met Eli, Nozomi, Honoka, Kotori and Umi of Muse, and Tsubasa, Erena and Anju of A-RISE.

When Kotori met her, she said, "Please give thanks to Japanese homophobia, Maki-san! It's the only reason you and I are here!" and winked. Maki remembered belatedly that this girl was her mother's lover's child. When Maki just stood there, shocked, Kotori kissed her on the cheek and went inside.

They were even visited by Mimi and Ageha from Nico's original group. Hanayo was a frequent visitor for Maki and her child, usually accompanied by Rin. The idol fan was in seventh heaven being able to hobnob with so many names and faces she'd only seen at a distance at a live, or even only on video. Number 68 was used for spillover. Once, when Cocoro had been drinking too much, Maki let her in to number 68 and she eventually passed out in her old room. Although she'd long since moved on to other people, Maki was a little sad to hear the drunk girl reveal she still had a little torch for Maki. One of the idols visiting in number 69 said she'd be up late - Maki and Nico's room was soundproofed precisely because of situations like that — and promised to check up on Cocoro periodically. In the morning, when she woke the girl up and yawned and went to sleep in the same bed, Cocoro was touched. From what Maki heard later, the two had at least become close friends, if not more.

The day the building was condemned and everyone got their eviction notices, they had an "earthquake party." Everyone jumped around so much it probably constituted a second earthquake test all by itself.

The small housewarming when Maki and her child moved into Nico's apartment, on the other hand, was a quiet affair. Everyone there, even the two high-school Yazawas, toasted Nico and Maki with both beer and whiskey, though Cocoa and Cotarou had much smaller amounts.

Another toast came when Rin and Hanayo said they would both be living in Hanayo's house soon. Despite all the fluffy feelings, Nico had declared she wasn't going to cry, and stuck to it.

Maki heard a noise. Her little girl had wandered out in her panda pajamas. Having observed the last toast, she decided to get in on the action. She did a perfect Nico Nico-Nii from start to finish, then bowed.

"Okay, now I'm crying," Nico said.

 

 


	4. Christmas in the Trenches

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> AU Yeah August 4: Enemy
> 
> They may both be Japanese, but they sure don't speak the same language. Nishikino Maki and Yazawa Nico want nothing more than to be rid of each other. They even went to different schools. Unfortunately, the people around them have other plans.

If Nico had to do something this outrageous, she was at least going to make Mistress Snooty-bitch explain herself to Tsubasa, Erena and Anju, school idol Yazawa Nico told herself. She had already dragged her — physically, feet skidding on the floor, as in — to meet Ageha and Mimi and explain why Nico couldn't help with music or choreography for their duet any more.

Nishikino had pointed out, unhelpfully, that really, Nico had already fulfilled any real obligation to them, and did she honestly think any of this was Nishikino's idea? Did she even realize what contempt she had for any and all school idols? And then she shook her head and apologized for forgetting Nico was an almost entirely brainless whatever-she-was. Her best guess was some sort of mynah bird trained to repeat the word "Nico" over and over again like a living Pokemon.

Her cruelty hurt, but the payoff was that the duet (formerly her trio at Otonokizaka) said they understood, and even sympathized with her. Plus, they gave Nishikino a very nice glare when she went off on school idols. It took a major, wrenching effort to remind herself that Nishikino was actually helping a school idol group at Nico's old school. Perhaps this excessive rant was her sole way of venting her frustration.

For her part, Nishikino Maki had managed to blank out from her mind the trauma of dealing with a hyperactive, helium-voiced piece of delusional, egotistical lolicon-bait. If she thought this would intimidate Maki, she had another thought coming. Which was a problem, since she doubted more than one thought at a time could fit in that pinhead of hers.

At any rate, she stated her case plainly, ticking her points on her fingers as she went.

  * First, it was only due to Maki's sacrifice that Yazawa was at UTX and in A-RISE to begin with. They would have exactly 0% of her time without that.
  * Second, she'd made it clear at the time that Yazawa owed her big-time. The girl had cheerfully taken her letter of intent to go to Otonokizaka instead of UTX to the supervisor of third-year transfers. Thereby acknowledging the debt.
  * Third, Maki was doing this entirely selflessly. Her friends at Otonokizaka had weird hobbies and even stranger tastes, and for the former they were indulging the latter. For whatever reason, they wanted to have Yazawa as part of their "idol group," and Maki had the means to make that happen.
  * Fourth, Yazawa had gods-damned better not say she was too busy, unless she wanted to trade with Maki's preparation for medical school and perfect grade point average.
  * Finally, the idol group, Mu's, was going to be reasonable and put A-RISE ahead of Mu's if there was ever a schedule conflict. They had also adjusted their practice time just to accommodate her. That should feed her voracious ego for a few seconds, surely?



  
To the chagrin of both of them, Tsubasa just laughed and agreed. She told Nico to meet up with Mu's, then come back and work out a schedule going forward. She simply asked her to try not to spend more than twice as much time on Mu's as she had on her friends' duet act.

  
That, anticlimactically, was that. Nico and Maki parted ways without even looking at each other once.

. . .

  
... Until Nico's first practice with Mu's.

* * *

_What was the name of their leader, again? Oh, wait, they were like hippies in Holland, pretending they didn't need one. Nico tried to remember who she'd seen as the center. Okay, there she was. Why was she "manju girl?" Oh … hmmm Homura's, right? So her name was something Homura? No, somehow it wasn't. But close. What did they call her that one time at the shop_? **"Honoka?"**

"Yes!" that girl said the way she said everything. It was so shockingly upbeat Nico didn't even want to disillusion her.

"Umm, can you tell me why Nishikino-san is here, please?"

"Silly Nico-chan! Why do you think?"

That was going to take some getting used to. She now remembered something vague about how the hippies also dispensed with respecting their sempais.

"I'm trying hard to think of a reason besides practicing with us. Is she here to go over a composition?"

"Nope!" Honoka said, smiling. "You got it right the first time! Maki-chan is part of our group and she dances with the rest of us!"

If Nico made a scene, there would be no point coming here. Her best strategy, alas, was to address Nishikino directly.

"I thought you were too busy to do more than compose, Nishikino-san?" _Hear that "-san," Mistress Snooty-bitch? Try using it!_

To her surprise, it was one of the third-years that answered for her. "Sorry, Nicocchi, but that's my fault. The cards told me we needed both of you or we would not flourish." She whipped out a card with a star on it, and showed it to Nico. What that proved was anyone's guess. Nico remembered that girl, unfortunately. In a rare moment of weakness, she had once upon a time gazed at her large breasts enviously, a little too long, and had, in fact combined that with a sigh. After she looked away, she had suddenly found her own breasts being manhandled. She made an inelegant squeak, only to hear a voice whispering "I like them too, little one!" Needless to say, she had avoided this girl the rest of her time at Otonokizaka. This was just getting worse and worse, wasn't it? Also, there was no possibility of winning.

She sighed and said, "I see. May I request you don't pair us for practices, then? We do not have a very good history, and both of us would probably be distracted, unable to give you our best efforts."

For the first time since she'd met the crazy little idiot, Maki found herself nodding in agreement.

"Nico-chan! Maki-chan! That's not nice at all!" Honoka said, startled.

"Ummm," Maki began. "Actually, it is nice. If you do as Yazawa … -san … suggests it would be nicer for her, nicer for me, and nicer for the group. It's actually a niceness-inducing suggestion."

This time Nico was the one nodding.

"Ah, and when I want you two to dance together, you'll instead disrupt the flow of our whole routine, and with angry faces to boot, correct?" the other third-year demanded.

"Just what I was thinking, Eli," a long-haired, cool-looking second-year chimed in.

The upshot was that Nico and Maki would _always_ be paired in practices until they could "learn to get along."

This would be her biggest challenge to date, Nico realized. Even including her painful and eminently forgettable first trio live, where the lights had come up to reveal a completely empty auditorium, and Nico had had to beg on her knees to keep her group together. Nico could make _anyone_ like her, right? And Nishikino Maki was an anyone. She should make sure she wrote about all this in her journal, so she could write about her greatest triumph in high school when she wrote her bestselling autobiography. She even started to make a little fist pump, but broke it off in embarrassment.

* * *

 

  
It wasn't missed by Maki, nonetheless. _The little idiot is, of course, going for it,_ she thought. She twisted and turned the situation in her mind's eye. If she subtly sabotaged the whole thing, making it look like Yazawa was at fault, then the loli could go back to UTX where she now belonged, Toujou-san would have to give up on her "nine or bust' fixation, and Maki could probably go back to just composing, instead of shaking her ass in a miniskirt surrounded by airheads.

As it played out, she fooled everyone but Toujou-san.

She followed Maki after a practice where Nico had practically thrown a fit. "I like Nicocchi, Maki-chan!" she said behind her.

Reluctantly, Maki turned around and faced her. The senior was still smiling, as she always did, but her eyes weren't merry at all.

"She's a fighter," the girl continued. "She's had to fight against cruel outside forces her whole life. It's such a contrast to Maki-chan. Who can't be honest and has had everything handed to her, so she has to be her own biggest challenge. Am I wrong?"

"What would you know about me, anyway, card-chuunibyou?"

To her surprise, Toujou-san just laughed. "More than you think. But I will tell you this. In addition to being in two school idol groups, Nicocchi still does more housework, cooking and child care than all your weekly hours of tutoring, homework, studying and juku combined. In case you didn't realize that."

"So are you going to tell Honoka?"

"Nope, and not your friends, either, though you're starting to not deserve them again. You stored up some good karma earlier this term, but you're expending it all pretty rapidly." Like usual, she whipped a card out without ever breaking her gaze into Maki's eyes. It was an image of a tower, struck by lightning. "This card-chuunibyou girl doesn't like what she sees." She walked away, leaving Maki not sure exactly how she was feeling.

She realized that her options to sabotage Yazawa going forward would be much more limited. Still, she could do a few subtle things while outwardly appearing to be adapting to the situation. It was the actual performances where it would be crucial to show that Yazawa wasn't working out. Ironically, in order to get away with that, Maki would have to practice a lot, and diligently.

  
If any misgivings bothered her, she rationalized that bringing Yazawa over from UTX was a clear ploy. They'd wanted Yazawa, for whatever reason, and now they weren't getting all of her. And they were the only real rivals to Mu's. She would never disillusion Rin and Hanayo, but it was pretty clear to her that it wasn't all sweetness and light.

When she found out that their first live as a unit of nine would have an on-stage rehearsal, she realized her moment had arrived.

* * *

 

Nico had to admit Nishikino had suddenly started cooperating in a big way She still had to fake a smile, of course. Still, Nico had been praised from an early age for singing and dancing and trying to coax a smile out of people. Maki, presumably, had pleased her parents by squinting into a textbook or sitting at a piano with a grim and serious expression for hours. She’d give her that. In fact, Maki had been so crisp with her movements, it was sometimes hard to connect with her. It was certainly a relief, given one of Nico’s twirls required catching Maki’s hand, in fact. They’d gone over it slowly enough times that Nico was fairly confident of synchronizing with her even if there was a little adjustment required.

* * *

 

  
Maki hated holding hands with her greatest annoyance in life. But she smirked, inwardly. All she had to do now was subtly encourage Kotori, but not Nico, who came after her, to adjust to her connecting a little quicker as she went, and the rest of them to her making the soft turns most of them carried out. With that, she could make a much quicker move and look like she was coordinating perfectly with Kotori, even though she was jumping the gun slightly. Then, she would make a sharp turn that would look very professional on video, and Nico would be obviously out of synch, miss her hand on the twirl, and fall on her ass. With any luck that would draw a tantrum and make the rest of them all question their wisdom in wanting her around. At worst, even if Nico somehow synchronized enough, it would throw the rest of her dancing off, making her look strained and unhappy. Meanwhile, Maki would be genuinely smiling for the first time. It was like when you solved a complicated chemical formula. Everything balanced, and the reaction had nowhere to go but where you wanted it.

* * *

 

  
Really, everything worked out with military precision. There was just one problem. Missing a connection like that propelled a lighter body like Yazawa’s further than it would have one of the larger girls. There was an awful moment when time seemed to freeze and she looked into Yazawa’s panicked eyes as she left the stage to crash on the floor below. Worse, she didn’t move after that.

  
Maki didn’t have to pretend to be distraught as Nico was carried out unconscious on a stretcher to an ambulance. Because time was short, they unfortunately still had to look at the video capture of their rehearsal. None of them seemed to see anything Maki had done wrong — she had extended her fingers as far as she could, it looked like Nico had simply gotten her timing wrong. Maki had expected to be smiling and triumphant at this point. Much like Nico was certainly feeling, she couldn’t figure out where she’d gone wrong.

* * *

 

  
She realized in the next couple of days, with a sinking feeling, that she had to see Yazawa in the hospital. Anything else would look either guilty or cold. And since she was, frankly, both, that was the opposite of the impression she wanted to make. As it was, she was the last member to pay her a visit. Behind her, it so happened, was Toujou-san, paying a repeat visit. Maki dutifully inquired how Nico was doing and asked if she had people bringing her things from school. They both knew they weren’t friends, though Nico seemed to appreciate the visit as a sign of bare respect.

  
“I hope it hurts.”

  
Maki, and Nico to the degree she could, turned their heads.

“I hope it hurts. It should hurt. You’ve needed something like this for a long, long time now. If you can’t learn from this, there’s no hope for you.”

Seeing the bewildered, hurt expression on the patient in bandages and casts, she laughed, but not with much humor in it.

“Oh, Nicocchi. You are one of my favorite people! So cute! Did you imagine for one second I was talking to YOU?”  
With that Nozomi came over and kissed Nico chastely and tenderly on the cheek. She left the fruit she’d brought where Nico’s free arm could reach it, waved goodbye and left.

Nico was not blind to the implications of what Nozomi said. She hadn’t spoken in her usual tentative, mysterious way, either. She was confident the truth was on her side. Nico didn’t know how Maki had managed it this time, but her history of sabotage during practice could only lead to the conclusion that she’d done it again. Now Nico wouldn’t be able to dance in the live, nor the next one with A-RISE, which would have been their debut as a foursome. And that was under good conditions. It could be more than that.

  
She looked Nishikino in the eye and said, “We need to talk.”

* * *

 

  
Nico decided she had to begin at the beginning. “The truth is, I was never, ever unpleasant to you. But you’ve treated me like a dog since we first met. I was too embarrassed to ask why, but here in this bed I have nowhere to go and a lot of time on my hands. And not much to do in the way of saving face. So why? Start with that.”

  
Maki kept silent.

  
“Okay, fine. Maybe I’ll come across something that will get your filthy mouth moving. Who knows? Let me rephrase it. You don’t know me, but you’ve hated me for months. You’ve been so cruel, I even wonder if letting me get into UTX was a ploy. Rin and Hanayo told me that your family wanted you there in Otonokizaka anyway, you know. You can’t put that all on me. But when it comes down to it, there is not much in your life you won’t take out on me, is there?” she shrugged.

  
“God, what an idiot I was. I actually admired you. I thought your songs flowed so easily. I envied you your perfect looks. You even twisted that into me having some sort of stalker lesbian crush on you, right? Now you seem really ugly to me. Sooner or later, the person inside will peek out, and the world will see what I see. The more I encounter you, the more I realize why people don’t want to have princesses running around giving orders anymore. I can’t fight back - I can’t take everything from you for no reason, like you’ve done to me. I’m not rich enough, not trained enough, not _ugly_ enough.”

  
“You know what people like me do? I’m now A-RISE’s main songwriter. Does that surprise you? I can’t dance, but I can still contribute. Like I said, time on my hands. I’m also writing a song for Mu’s. You and I will be rivals, at least this one time. That’s what people like me do. We do what we can, and we don’t stop just because the people walking above us feel like **_pissing on our lives_**.”

  
As she said that, Nico was frightened, because Nishikino suddenly came towards her. Then she was flabbergasted to feel the princess’s lips on hers. Maki stayed that way for a while, then broke the kiss and looked into Nico’s eyes. Her expression was unreadable, and she went back to kissing Nico again. They kissed that way, off and on, for a very long time. Finally, Nishikino stopped.

  
Nico looked at her. She was staring down. Her face had her trademark grim, serious expression. “You got it moving,” she said.

“What?” Nico didn’t get it.

“My filthy mouth.”

It was so absurd, Nico had to laugh. If darkly.

“We can’t be together, I don’t think,” Nishikino continued. She shook her head, then nodded. She looked a little wistful. Or wistful for Nishikino.

  
“But I want to change things. For real. I’ve seen your songs. They need work. Instead of one song for Mu’s, do two with me. Do one for A-RISE, then one with me, then another for them, and so on. We’ll be co-writers. I’ll bring a keyboard with headphones you can play with one hand. I think you’ll see your progress. It’s how I was _trained_.”

  
Finally, she raised her head and met Nico’s gaze. “I know how to read a chart. You won’t miss more than the next two lives if you don’t do anything strenuous when you get home. Nozomi told me you do the housework. But you should skip that and do physical therapy instead. I’ll help you. You’ll probably have to pretend I’m a friend. When you start practicing again, you can at least suggest we change up partners. But face it, our fight is already over.”

  
Nishikino was still incomprehensible, and it probably showed on Nico’s face.

Nishikino smiled. A small smile, not a very happy one. “I …” she swallowed. “I kissed you. A lot. Just now. For … at least - at LEAST an hour. And you … kissed back. The whole time.”

“What does —“

“We have something on each other. It’s a stand-off.”

It was like talking to a space alien, but Nico understood that she meant for them both to keep going forward. Which was all she’d wanted in the first place.

  
“Ah, okay … umm … Maki … it’s a … truce?” Nico said, holding her good hand in front of her with the palm towards Maki.

Maki pressed her palm into Nico’s and pushed forward to give her a long kiss. “Truce.”

  
Well, maybe that was just how her species communicated.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This didn't take very long. Unlike most of the others, I didn't have to do any world-building. I just used my A-RISE Quartet AU where they are, in fact, enemies.


	5. Laundromat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For AU Yeah August August 5 challenge: Laundromat AU

 

While she was completely annoyed that she had to launder her shirt and vest — and, yes, looking at it, her tie —  on an emergency basis, Nishikino Maki liked the idea that she was doing things on her own. True, she was hoping to have the laundry do it, but since she wasn't quite thirteen, going there in just a tee-shirt and paying for it, then rushing to her recital, pleased her desire for self-sufficiency. She hadn't said anything in anger when the customer next to her in the family restaurant she'd stopped into because she forgot to get lunch spilled mustard on her. She had just set her mouth into a thin line and stalked away, leaving her food uneaten.

Unfortunately, when she got to where she planned to have her outfit cleaned and pressed on an emergency basis, it turned out it was a laundromat, not a laundry, and even the attendant was away.

While she stood there, completely fazed and a little panicky, she noticed a little group of children doing laundry. Their parents didn't seem to be around. The oldest girl, who Maki pegged for being around ten years old, was directing the other three, two of them quite tiny, as they sorted their laundry. They all helped her get it in to the washers without any balking or not paying attention. At that point, the oldest child brought out two pocky sticks. She broke them in half, and each child got a half- pocky. Somehow, she turned around and looked at Maki, standing there holding her ruffled white shirt and black vest. 

"Do you know how to hand-wash and press?" she heard the girl say. It took her a few moments to realize she was being addressed by the child.

The girl, who had reddish eyes that looked at her quite intensely, came towards her. She pointed at Maki's garments. "You just need to buy the wool soap. This one." She pointed at one of the boxes in the soap vending machine. Just to do something, Maki bought it. However, it became clear to the little girl that Maki had no idea what to do now.

"I have a little time, let's use that sink." The girl pointed at the nearer of the two in the laundromat. "The shirt can be the hardest part," she said. She tugged at the shirt gently and Maki relinquished it, though not without some hesitation. The girl oh-so-gently placed it in the sink and diluted the wool soap with some water and poured it on the shirt. She then very gently worked it into the shirt, and ran a great deal of lukewarm water over it. After she was satisfied, she hung it on a small rack near the sink. "It will dry mostly okay, and it's under your vest anyway, though we can press it a bit."

At the word "press," Maki looked at the girl, puzzled. She pointed to a small alcove near the manager's office. Maki could now see an ironing board leaning against the wall there, and an iron on the shelf. While she stared at it, the girl added, "We'll give you one of our towels to use after they've dried a little. That should do the trick."

In the meantime, she showed Maki how to gently hand-wash her vest. With the same gentleness as before, she held Maki's hands and moved them until she was confident Maki could do it on her own. Maki had a strange feeling as she did that, and she really was not fond of having strange feelings before a recital. But she wanted to be polite, so she didn't shrink back from the girl's touch. Besides, frankly, being intimidated by contact with a small child didn't suit Maki's self image.

The girl gently laid the vest on the rack and invited Maki to hand-wash her tie. She smiled when Maki did a reasonable job with it. After they opened the sink drain, the girl turned to Maki.

"What's your name? I'm Nico, and my sisters and brother are here with me, doing the family laundry. What happened with your clothes? They look like you're playing a concert or something?"

Maki didn't really want to say anything, but she also didn't want to be rude. It was quite a struggle.

"I'm Nishikino Maki. I am trying to get my clothes in shape before my recital. Someone spilled mustard on them."

"Ooh, music!" the girl said with enthusiasm. "Nico is going to be a school idol, you know. Dancing * _and_ * singing."

Maki actually knew what that was, thanks to two girls who had been bothering her at her junior high entrance examination. Well, one of them. The less annoying one was a huge fan of school idols, but Maki considered them a travesty of music. The girl was so innocent and vulnerable, she'd never been able to say what she thought. This girl was like a younger version of Hanayo, obviously.

That said, the fact that she, at around nine or ten years old, was shepherding her siblings around to the laundromat without any adult help * _was_ * a little impressive. Nico insisted Maki meet her siblings, who were, in truth, rather cute. They clearly adored and looked up to their big sister. The feeling Maki got was almost like a bunch of orphans, with the oldest sister taking on the role of the parent. That made the whole thing just a little sad. It would be worse if the little urchins were dreaming their big sister would drag them out of poverty — she suddenly realized that a half-pocky had seemed like a real treat to all four, and that spoke volumes about their status — with her idol fantasies. Realistically, that was all too likely.

The girls took their laundry out. They made a small load for cool drying and a larger one for hot drying. After a bit, Nico stopped the dryer and took out one of the towels, still a bit damp. She led Maki to the alcove, showed her how to set up the ironing board, and placed the towel on it. She told Maki they'd have to wait until the iron got quite hot to press the tie and vest, and perhaps the shirt.

When she decided the iron was hot enough, Nico put Maki's tie on the towel and folded it over. She then ironed the towel, which caused steam to come off it. She bore down with all the weight her little body could muster, and ironed the contours of the tie very carefully. When she was satisfied, Nico took the tie out, folded it carefully in a loose loop, and put it by Maki, on top of a washer. She then assisted Maki in doing the same thing with the vest. Again, Nico's fingers guided Maki's, and, again, Maki had a strange feeling as she did it, that made her uncomfortable.

"The shirt might be tricky, they have a lot of folds and seams and angles," the girl suddenly said. "I make shirts, so I know, nico."

After she put Maki's vest next to her tie, without folding it except to close it, she concentrated on the shirt. The precision and care she used really impressed Maki. No wonder her siblings looked up to her. She was already * _making_ * her own shirts? That was phenomenal. Although she knew it would make the girl look at her quizzically, and would probably even annoy her, she suddenly said, "I need to get something," and dashed out. Not far from the laundromat, Maki bought a box of Pocky from a vending machine, and rushed back in. She handed the box to  Nico, blushing furiously, for some reason. She really struggled to not take her embarrassment out on the girl, who had been extraordinarily helpful.

Nico looked surprised, but apparently the girls didn't look a gift horse in the mouth. She took out a pocky and offered it to Maki. Maki put it to her mouth, and absent-mindedly took her hand off it to reach for her shirt. Suddenly, with no warning, she saw Nico put her mouth on the other end. Was a child playing the pocky game with her? How was that even possible? Maki's face went completely red. But then, Nico reached out and snapped the pocky. Two-thirds of it was still in Maki's mouth, and the other third in Nico's. That girl winked at Maki. Then she took out another pocky, broke it into three parts, and gave a piece to each of her siblings. Aha. That was her solution to fairly dividing pocky among five people: She gave Maki the remainder. 

After Maki threw on her shirt and vest, and Nico helped her with her tie, she headed off — after all, she would barely make the recital at this rate. She thanked the girl, who simply winked at her and made a little horn sign with one of her hands. The middle girl said, "As expected of Nico-nii."

 

* * *

 

A couple of years later, she saw the girl again, probably a middle-schooler by now. They happened to stand next to each other,  watching the marquee at UTX, where Maki planned to attend high school. To her chagrin, after she recognized her, she noticed the girl was visibly less eager, and far less happy, than before. It could be she was already realizing her school idol fantasy wasn't going to help her or her family - Maki was still not sure they weren't all orphans. If so, Maki could take no pleasure in being proved right. Irrationally, she wished that the odds had been better for the girl. That she recognized her was evident when the girl turned and said, "How did your recital go." It sounded wistful. It sounded sad.

Maki was too startled to speak until the girl looked her in the eye. "Umm ... it went fine. I was very grateful for your help." The girl smiled. It wasn't much of a smile, but it was there. "Ah, what, no Pocky?" she said, teasingly. Actually, Maki had bought pocky for the first time in ages, for some reason. However, shaking the box gently, it felt and sounded like only one was left. Wordlessly, she shook it out and handed it to Nico, who put one end in Maki's mouth and bit on the other end. Since Maki remembered what Nico did before, she looked her in the eye and nibbled on the pocky. Nico did the same, and neither of them panicked before Maki's first, chocolatey kiss was stolen by a little girl.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In this story, Maki simply has no clues to tell her how old Nico is. Just like in the regular story, Nico is actually two years older than Maki, she just thinks she's a little girl.


	6. Tournament!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> August 6 challenge: Hogwarts AU

 

 

 

 

For the hundredth time, Maki wondered how they kept talking her into this kind of thing.

 

* * *

 

Otonokizaka Tiger and Dragon Academies for Young Mikos and Priests was in trouble. After the second and final fall of the evil priest Tom Marbero Ridoru, everyone who was anyone family-wise was sending their children to suddenly chic Hogwarts Academy in Scotland in the United Kingdom. Even before the war, the number of mikos and priests in Japan had been in decline. The rate of mystically gifted children born to Normies had also gone down. Combined, this wasn't something a small, if prestigious academy like theirs could survive.

Schools like Beauxbatons in France and Durmstrang in northern Norway were competing in strange contests that seemed to have little to do with training children to handle powerful forces, but which helped keep their student recruits coming in. Marching bands, magically-enhanced acrobats and cheerleaders, and of course a strange pastime called Quidditch.

The boys' school, Dragon, had done its part, learning to play a fairly competent Quidditch game, but so far only six students at Tiger had even tried to do anything on their end. Some of the tougher girls helped the boys practice Quidditch by playing against them, but as the boys' team grew in size, they'd sent the leader, Rin Hoshizora, back to Tiger to see if she could help build up the performance part of the contests. It had already been announced that the famous Triwizard Tournament was going to be held again this year, and be a "Poly-wizard" tournament. A strong performance there would give them a leg-up on competing Korean and Chinese academies, and perhaps stop the drain of magical talent off to Hogwarts.

The difficulty, Maki mused, was that this was not the first attempt at Tiger to compete in performances. There was even a Room of Showmanship that was filled with blessings to augment musical, dance and purely magical performance of all sorts. But one small problem prevented them using it. It was less than 150 cm in size, in fact.

The fledgling Magical Performance Club had floundered, mostly due to student indifference to such pursuits. It was seen as hopelessly Normie and vulgar by most mikos-in-training from good families. But one remained: the club president Nico Yazawa. She was holed up in the Room of Showmanship when she wasn't in classes. And when she was, it was sealed by rituals that belied her mediocre marks in both Surface and Transformational Prayer.

Her family had a good pedigree, but no longer owned any assets. Her father had perished in the first wizard's war, being one of the few priests from Japan to go to the aid of the beleaguered British magicians. Because the government didn't approve of its citizens fighting for other countries, far afield, an initial move to pay a hefty survivors benefit to Nico's family had been stalled, then reduced by half, and then again, forcing her mother to work long hours at a couple of shrines.

Tiny and red-eyed, Nico'd been widely rumored to be part imp. The way she reacted to that suggestion didn't help her case.

"She likes you!" Honoka Kousaka, Tiger's Performance Club leader had assured her.

"It's true," the Headmistress's daughter, Kotori Minami agreed. "She watched Maki heal at the infirmary. Just stood there for a half hour watching, until she thought Maki might see her, then she ran away."

"I reluctantly agree, Maki-chan. You know that she often haunts the Room of Musical Enhancement when you're there, correct?" Umi Sonoda had added. She was the choreographer for the girls. She prevented Honoka from attempting wild magical feats that might harm the other students.

Maki shook her head, not liking where the conversation was going.

"And so," Honoka said, smiling and taking Maki's hands in hers, "You're the only one who can reach her!"

She looked at Maki like the nonsense she was spouting was plain common sense and logic. Maki felt a headache come on.

 

* * *

 

Nonetheless, accompanied by her friends, the shy, gentle fellow Healer Hanayo Koizumi and Rin, the ex-Quidditch player, here Maki was. She knocked on the door, only to find herself painfully shocked and thrown back against the opposite wall. She nearly lost consciousness as her head  _thocked_  against the wall, even protected as it was by her miko headgear.

Apparently, the Room was now protected by strong hex runes, what the English magicians called medium-strength wards. Rin was all for simply blasting the door off its hinges - and she knew a good prayer for it. But that, Maki told her, a bit stiffly, risked destroying the very things they had come to gain. Hanayo said, bluntly, that Maki must, instead, make a bargain with Nico, at the very least, if not befriend her. But she offered no suggestions as to how Maki could do that with someone they couldn't even talk to.

Finally, Maki had an idea. She approached the table outside the Room. She took Nico's magically animated fliers (which showed her performing with girls Maki had never met - they'd probably transferred out before she could get to know them). She very gently set them by the table, then transfigured it into an ordinary piano. She also magically fetched some of the performance images the six of them had taken at their own club's performances, and set them down by Nico's.

She sat at the piano and began to play.  She tried to remember which songs had made the surly girl stay around and listen the most. Sure enough, eventually the door to the Room of Showmanship cracked open. Maki smiled without being too overt about it.

Coincidentally, the Head Miko of her House, Nozomi Toujou, came by just then. She looked over what Maki had created, and she spoke up. "You know, Maki-chan, those fliers of yours will just make Nicocchi sadder." Maki considered that. "We'll see," she said. She went on playing. She saw Nico's shadow creep towards the back of the piano. Even if Nico was two years ahead of her, being able to turn invisible was still impressive: still, why hadn't she noticed she still cast a shadow?

Just as Maki was musing that normally a friend would say something like that, Rin seemed to read Maki's mind - fortunately, she was not gifted in those sort of prayers, so it was probably just her normal sympathy and intuition. Aloud, she said "Maki-chan, Nico doesn't have any friends to tell her when her spells work or not, and I think she doesn't want to show them to the teachers because she's reading advanced books and stuff from the restricted scrolls." But she said it softly enough only Maki, and not Nico, would hear. Hanayo and Nozomi nodded.

It was a pity the Head Miko wouldn't do this, Maki thought. A pity she wasn't part of the fourth and fifth-years' plan to revive magical performances. She reluctantly concluded being there for moral support was as far as the very spiritual girl was willing to go in this matter. It was a double pity that Nozomi's best friend, Eli Ayase, actually supported the grumpy little half-imp in keeping them out. She hated the idea of performance magic, and felt like the combined Otonokizaka Academies should save themselves with something much more dashing and honorable - training the students to go hunt what the evil British coven had called Death Eaters, for instance. 

But now was now, and here was here. Maki had studied with an actual portrait of Nico's group. All the girls in the portrait, even Nico, had wanted to help. It was quite sad to see the contrast between the Nico in the image and the one skulking around now. Long story short, Maki had learned, and practiced, Nico's favorite song from back then, and that's what she switched to playing. From the location of Nico's shadow, she wasn't moving.

But when she heard sobbing coming from where Nico was hidden, for some reason, she couldn't bear it. All her plans went out the window. She stopped playing, jumped up, moved behind the piano and grabbed where she thought Nico was. She felt a body squirming to get out of her grasp, but didn't relinquish her hold. Even when sobbing was interrupted by threats, Maki didn't let go. And when it was just bitter weeping again, she just held Nico tighter.

* * *

 

Meanwhile, around the corner, it was time for Plan B. Honoka, Umi and Kotori had remotely fetched Nico's and their images, and a pre-arranged bundle of prayers and blessings enveloped them. When the aura diminished, Nico's image had been mirrored in the Muse portraits. At first, she looked around wildly, then shrugged, and joined in the dancing. Because Nico was a quick study, fairly soon her face was lit up with a smile as she twirled around with the Muse girls, several feet up in the air, where Nico could be any height she wished.

* * *

 

Still clutching Nico tightly, Maki asked to see her. She assured the girl that they all wished her well, and would support her, but there was something Maki wanted to show her. Slowly, Nico faded into sight. Her tear-filled eyes and childish face made Maki want to hug her again, but she resisted. Hand in hand, they went to where Honoka, Kotori and Umi were waiting, with Nozomi, Hanayo and Rin trailing behind. Maki thought she caught a glimpse of blonde hair just peeking around the far corner, but it dashed away too quickly to be sure. 

Nico seemed outraged to see they'd purloined her moving fliers, but when she looked at the Muse images, and saw herself dancing happily with the other girls in Muse, she was simply frozen in shock. She looked up into Maki's eyes like a little girl who had never been told "Otanjoubi omedetou" before. Maki nodded. Impulsively, Nico initiated hugging Maki, and impulsively, Maki reciprocated.

All was well. But why did Maki suddenly not want to let go?


	7. Fame

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> AU August 7th:  
> Famous

So. Famous among the famous, she wasn't. No one at the last chic and exclusive party they'd gone to together had wanted to be so shallow as to not know all about the famous medical researcher and surgeon Nishikino Maki. On the other hand, plenty of them had pretended to not recognize Nico. She was familiar with all the games entertainer celebrities played, of course, but she was well into her career. The time to break through to where it would be ridiculous to even pretend she wasn't world famous? Running out rapidly.

So that made the current situation even more puzzling. It was really frustrating — they kept getting broadcasts, but, seemingly, no one could hear them. And what they heard about the plane crash was all Nico, Nico, Nico. Maki being missing was only mentioned as an afterthought. And usually as Nico's partner, to boot. Something about singers (and dancers, in her case) dying young seemed to hit the public harder, still, after generations of such deaths.

"If I could simply get word to my family," Nico muttered. "And if they'd give Maki proper respect ..." 

Maki looked up at her. She wasn't in a good mood, but she wasn't going to take it out on Nico, either. "You'd enjoy this?"

"Yeah. Your family, too. And our friends. And right there it becomes an impossible fantasy. And that's assuming it was inevitable our pilot would perish in a crash. I'm not forgetting him."

"You enjoy being more famous than me?"

"Well, it's not about you, it's about me. They're saying nice things. Only nice things. My last single is selling like crazy. And I get to be here with you."

Really, it was a tropical paradise — no ifs, ands or buts.

The first day, burying the pilot because, as Maki had told her bluntly, corpses drew animals and eventually they were a toxic hazard, not knowing if there was any possibility of not dying on this island? That had been a waking nightmare. They didn't even know his religion, so they'd improvised a ceremony with Buddhist, Christian and Shinto prayers. If (when) they were rescued, they'd have to break the news which would get to his family.

But, considering how often they fought, it had amazed Nico how quickly and efficiently they'd adapted. Maki had even repurposed one of the plane's batteries to send out a strong beacon signal, periodically. She even believed it had been picked up — a plane they'd seen one day had come back around, quite obviously. But it must have left before another signal could go off.

They were comfortable, with adequate rations for a couple of months. They'd handled sanitation and cooking, and even had months left to listen to radio, when it came in. Maki told Nico it was something hit-and-miss called "skip" at work. Let's face it: Maki knew _everything_. And Nico had dominated the news in Japan for over a week. Even outside Japan, if what was reported was true, it had been a top story for a few days. So, Nico really was one of **_them_**. Entirely thanks to her originally hidden relationship, she'd come off as an idol with something deeper down. Secretly troubled performers with an element of mystery were much, much more interesting. The ones who cultivated it came off as phony. The ones like Nico, desperately trying to blend in, doing a good job performing, but still somehow being an outsider? Were catnip to the modern audience.

One story upbraided the public for not caring about Maki, and Nico cheered. Her parents claimed that an important figure who'd died recently after a dangerous surgery would be alive if their daughter had been involved. Her research team was asked about her absence and said it would set them back more than a year. Nico looked over at Maki, tentatively.

"I was never upset about this, Nico. I have what I have, satisfaction. And you have the fame. I realize it didn't seem like it at that party with all those jostling elbows out for you, but did you ever consider that all famous people have that? People that can look right into them and see the scared, unconfident person inside they were before they were famous? Feeling like an imposter and all too willing to listen to negative voices outside their heads repeating what they've been hearing inside their heads?"

"Besides ..." and Nico looked at her again. "The songs where I sing with you or do the music always sell the best. Including this one. I am sure the fact that it's from the lost idol couple is part of its draw." And with that, she winked at Nico.

With literally nothing to do every day but sleep, prepare food, and make love, it revitalized their relationship. Maki started to agree with Nico, that the only real shame was the fate of the pilot, and the fact that their loved ones thought they were probably dead.

It wasn't for another two weeks that a plane finally managed to pinpoint their beacon. What he saw when he overflew Nico and Maki ended up in the tabloids, naturally. A few said it was callous of them to enjoy themselves in the face of a tragedy, but Nico's fans and those that admired Maki either as an entertainer or for her career mobbed them with angry letters and posts, and even a protest.

They skipped the next party they were invited to, as it was the day of the funeral for the pilot. Maki dyed her hair black again, and Nico dressed as frumpily as she could and wore thick glasses, and they joined a group coming to the funeral from a parking lot without being noticed, and stayed towards the back.

But after that was another party, with another invitation to both of them. Nico had changed. When asked about their experience she tried to say enough to satisfy them without dwelling on it. After all, it wasn't just a conversational topic. They both could have died. In fact, Maki had had to treat some initial injuries on Nico that she had had to go to the hospital for once they were rescued. And, of course, now that she had withdrawn from the fame battle one hundred percent, she won it by default. Always deferring to everyone else there, she, nonetheless, became the most sought after person there. The second most sought after was Maki. She explained that Nico trusted her memory for what had happened more than her own, and very matter-of-factly related everything but the all-day sex marathons.

As for Nico, she'd already qualified as an assistant nurse before the crash, and by the time she stopped touring a few years later, and switched to acting and a much-reduced singing career, she was a registered nurse, able to spend a lot of the year helping out at Nishikino hospital. At some point, while still a well-known name, she became a B-rank singer and actress. One of the entertainment magazines came to interview her at their house.

"How do you feel about having walked away from fame, Nico?"

Nico thought back to the crash. She thought back to all the wonderful and loving things said about dead her, things she'd never hear while she was alive, no matter how big she made it. She thought back to looking into Maki's eyes and realizing she was the one thing that truly mattered in Nico's life.

"Ara," said Nico, feeling old even as she used that word, "I suppose I did. Well ... when I didn't have it? It was everything to me. It was the only hope my family had, it was my only goal, ever. I don't think there has ever been anything like a #1 Idol, but I came pretty close. Close enough. When I didn't have it, it was everything — but when I did have it?"

"It wasn't all it was cracked up to be?"

"No, no it was not," Nico responded, again feeling like she was slipping into old lady diction. She'd have to work on that, she must be becoming a little too domestic. "But ..." and here she winked at the interviewer. "It _was_ pretty good."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Do you enjoy being more famous than me?" is a Girlfriend Pop Quiz question. The answer is "no."
> 
> Please note that in this story, Nico and Maki help each other move ...
> 
>  
> 
> bodies.


	8. Switcher

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> AU Yeah August 8:
> 
> Kwami swap

Tsubasa was "sitting in" on a practice on the roof. Apparently, she needed practice in making lovey-dovey eyes at Honoka. They were so used to it, it didn't even disrupt practice much, Nico mused. But suddenly, something else -- did.

Nine wispy outlines appeared out over the courtyard. They seemed to be watching the Mu's girls practice. One of the wisps vanished. When it reappeared, there was a tenth outline. These things were some sort of intelligent UFO! Nico decided Nozomi should take the pictures. But since it was her idea, she'd demand some of the royalties. And be the main person on the book deal. Did you get paid for talk shows?

"Nozomi! Take pictures!"

Nozomi nodded and pointed back at Nico. They rushed through the door and down the stairs to grab Nozomi's camera and video equipment from the club room.

When they got back, out of breath, the wisps had become distinct creatures, right in front of the remaining club members, who stood there in shock. The foremost wisp, with a face like a fox, spoke up.

"Welcome back, Yazawa and Toujou. As I was saying, we are grateful Kira-san is a womanizer, since we can dispense ten Miraculouses instead of nine, in one place. You two, please go to that side and wait your turns."

"I am Parfait - the Kwami of Perfection. I bestow the Foxy Choke Collar on Ayase Eli!" Before Eli could even react, it was so bestowed. She immediately underwent a typical magical girl transformation. At the end, she looked like a kitsune spirit in spandex. "Please greet your team leader, Kitsune Kick!"

With that, Parfait floated back. A panda-looking imp moved forward.

"I am Longmarch, the Kwami of Perseverance. Yazawa Nico I endow with the Panda Manacle Cuffs!" Nico transformed into a panda-looking magical girl with a longer and more dramatic display than Eli's. In the end, she was amazingly cute but not very intimidating. "Greet Panda-monium!" Nico went over and sat by Eli's feet. Unconsciously, the team leader petted Nico and scratched behind her ears, until her hand was batted away.

The next fairy had tiny horns and sultry eyes. She stared at Nozomi, then winked. "I am 'Bus, Kwami of Sensuality. To the slinky and sexy Toujou Nozomi is bequeathed the Bovine Nipple Ring! Greetings, Womanherd!" She flew up Nozomi's shirt, and a moment later, that girl's eyes widened in shock.

"Are you kidding me!" Nozomi shouted. 'Bus just winked at her. "The team leader must inspect the Miraculouses regularly. Yours is rather tricky, so it will probably require nightly inspection."

At that, Nozomi got a thoughtful look and stopped protesting. Kitsune Kick had fainted on top of Panda-monium, who was struggling to get out from under the tall Russian body pinning her to the ground.

A squirrelly fairy came forward next - B-Leave, the Kwami of Faith. It bestowed the Ear Gauge of Squirreliness on Honoka, whose magical girl persona looked bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. Sacred Squirrel and Womanherd shook Kitsune Kick awake and helped her to her feet, much to the panda's relief.

A jet-black birdlike fairy came forward and spoke.  "Cure, the Kwami of Sorrow, gives the Nightingale Nose-ring to Minami Kotori, who shall be known as Gothingale."

Umi had also fainted when Nozomi was given an enchanted nipple ring -- and Eli was tasked with inspecting it. A hook-beaked fairy named Ted Un-Dawn, Kwami of Honor, bestowed the Falcon Cilice on her. Presented with scanty costumes and suggestive settings, the bill and talons of the cilice would bite into Umi's leg mildly, driving impure thoughts away. Falcon Crossed was woken and went over and sat by Panda-monium. Gothingale followed and sat on the falcon's other side.

Ak-Deek, the Kwami of Energy, bestowed the Tabby Tongue-stud on Rin, whose magical girl name became Cat Nip. At first, Rin had been presented with a ring with a black cat on it, but two copyright lawyers and the Registrar at the Miraculous Heroes' Guild had lodged a protest. When Cat Nip got the tongue stud, she touched it with her finger, and couldn't help looking over at Hanayo, who became the third Mu's member to swoon and faint.

In the excitement of catching Hanayo, they hadn't noticed that Maki had already transformed. "Hey!" Rin said. "She's another kitty!"

Although her face was, for some reason, beet red, Maki snapped back: "Hardly. If you had been selected by THIMK, the Fairy of Knowledge, as I have, you would know that a multicolored legendary panther is scarcely to be compared to a house-cat. And as for the ... the ...Panthery Something jewelry I was given, I am only going to tell Nico. And I guess my "hero-name" is Panthy. No, Rin and Honoka, not for "panty" but after the love interest in Revolutionary Girl Utena." And with that, she sat on the other side of Nico and whispered in her ear. The panda girl looked at Eli and said "Nico will handle all Panthy inspections, nico." And then, for some reason, she, too, fainted. 

Hamster Honey spoke up at that. Like Maki, she'd transformed while they were watching others. She and Rin were the only girls with matching Jewelry, though Hanayo's was the Tongue-sten of Hamster. "Please don't be so mean to Rin-chan, Maki-chan! Just because you're ahead in school is no reason to look down on others." Her spirit, Feelya, the Kwami of Compassion, looked on approvingly.

"She's right, you know," said an unexpected voice. Kira Tsubasa grinned widely and you could see one of her back teeth had been replaced with a golden one, with the image of a girl's face in black on it. Hanayo, the closest person to Tsubasa, exclaimed "It kind of looks like Honoka-chan, but with whiskers!" 

"Maki-chan, a girl with a pretty face like yours shouldn't be passing harsh words through those sensuous lips, should she? How would you like it if someone corrected Nico so condescendingly? I know I wouldn't put up with it if it was the cutest, sweetest, most adorable school idol ever to live, the immortal Kousaka Honoka! And as for the tooth, they said I had to put an otter on it, they didn't say I couldn't make it a cute school idol otter!"

"Well done, Ottergirl!" said the tenth sprite, which identified itself as Whiteday, the Kwami of Romance.

Together, they were Miraculous Mu's Plus Tsubasa. The kwamis found that awkward, and wanted to call them the Tremendous Ten, but after Tsubasa wrangled a magical girl spot for Erena and Anju, A-Mazing A-RISE and Miraculous Mu's joined forces to become the Terrific Twelve.

* * *

 

"You had to do it, didn't you, Yazawa-san."

Nico was woken by an almost-but-not-quite familiar voice.

"Hey! Longmarch! I think we have an incident here!" Nico called out.

"She's not here, thanks to you."

It was true. If this was an incident, she'd expect to see Longmarch's cute spritely form hovering, instead of - wait, wasn't this Maki's kwami, THIMK? 

"What do you mean, thanks to _me_?"

"I don't see another magical girl who kissed my charge by the train-station at 15:35 and a half here. Do you?"

 _Uh oh._ Well, yeah, they had been warned about Switcher akuma being around. They had been firmly ordered not to kiss anyone. But what harm one little kiss could do had gone through Nico's mind when Maki suddenly turned around and the sun lit up her perfect face. Anyone with a soul would have done the same.

"Why blame me, then? It takes two to kiss, after all!"

"Unlike Longmarch, who spoils and indulges you terribly, I am raising my magical girl properly, thank you very much. I have implored her on several occasions to either instill some rudimentary discipline in you or keep you away from Panthy, whose uncorrupted decorum is the fruit of my labors."

"Properly! You named her "panty," for all intents and purposes,  for God's sake! You gave her - you-know-what! You're not a fit guardian or a spirit of knowledge, you're a train molester in tadpole form!"

"We intelligent like our little inside jokes, true. But at least I can keep it in my pants for one day while a bunch of highly volatile Switcher akuma are terrorizing normal and magical people alike."

"So, where's Longmarch, and - and I can't believe I'm asking this - how do I get her back?" Nico asked, grudgingly. She had rapidly burnt out on the whole magical girl deal after a couple of months, to be honest. But she did it for the others, not because the kwami wanted her to.

If a tadpole-looking cat-eyed fairy could be said to smirk, THIMK was smirking.

"Ah well, as to where she is ..."

 

* * *

 

Maki was famously hard to wake, but it was the Kwami of Persistence doing the waking. It took fifteen minutes, but Longmarch had budgeted that time in and started early.

"Panthy. Maki-san. Nishikino-san. I bring somewhat unfortunate news."

"Wha?" said Maki, blearily.

After Panda-monium had told her that Panthy lived mainly off coffee, the way she now lived off of vegetables and bamboo shoots, Longmarch had practiced conjuring cups of the drink. It had taken ages to master, but she'd planned to show off the next time Maki visited Nico. The smell of coffee on her night-stand made Maki get all the way up to fetch it.

She smiled at Nico's sprite. "Well," she said, "at least you know the proper way to deliver it."

 

* * *

 

 

"Oh, this is so romantic!"

Honoka woke up to a somewhat familiar voice, gushing at what she had in her bedroom.

"Oh it could use _far_ more pictures of Tsubasa, but we can definitely work with this."

Without opening her eyes, she asked: "Whiteday. Is Tsubasa in trouble? Is there an incident?"

"Morning, Honoka! You're so cute when you sleep, I had to watch you for at least ten minutes before I spoke up."

The Kwami of Romance was a big _Twilight_ fan, it turned out, so it probably thought that behavior fit in with the "romance" genre.

"Honoka," it interrupted her train of thought. "I could give you a complicated explanation of everything that's going on, but you'd just forget it. So let's skip to the summary, okay?"

Honoka nodded without lifting her head from the pillow.

"You and Tsubasa kissed yesterday, an akuma switched me and B-leave. Eventually it will wear off. Until she comes back you have squirrel powers, but not faith powers. Instead, you have my romance powers."

"Are they good for anything," Honoka wondered.

"Good for anything? Have you noticed how often Tsubasa gets her way?"

Only, like, always. That was a good point.

"And you have new combinations - you could lure a bad guy to a romantic dinner, then use your squirrel powers to go for his nuts."

"In Japanese, they're called 'golden eggs.'"

"All the more reason to study harder in English class."

Honoka opened her eyes at that.

"So umm .. Tsubasa - is a faith-based otter?"

"I suppose she is," the sprite said. It seemed to be amused.

Honoka pictured an otter with a Bible and a cross facing a crowd of monsters like in Ghost Hunt and giggled.

"So, I need to, like, practice romance powers?"

The sprite nodded.

"Because, I think the most romantic thing I could do now is .."

And then they both said "Find Tsubasa!" in unison.

* * *

Gothingale had flown to the dojo and paralyzed Falcon Crossed with her Nightingale Song, and she wasn't going to leave until they'd done something she could brag about in the Miraculous Mu's locker room. Her honor as a woman — well, as a womanizer, anyway — was at stake. In fact ... She really didn't know how to invoke Ted Un-dawn's powers, but as a nightingale trying to pin down a falcon, she needed all the help she could get. She turned red remembering a _kabedon_ that hadn't even reached all the  way to the wall and came off as a hug, for instance. 

 _Okay,_ she muttered. _Honor powers - activate! Help me seal the deal!_

She had gotten Umi down to her underwear while still managing to pepper her body with kisses. The archer girl looked dazed, and not just from the song. Kotori had been counting on her not wanting to rend and bite - and she knew firsthand what a sucky defense Sorrow Powers were. 

Then she made the mistake of looking Umi in the eyes.

"Kotori-chan! Kotori-chan! You're being so mean, doing such shameful things when we aren't even married! I don't like it, Kotori-chan! Let me up! .... Onegai!" The wily Umi was even stealing Kotori's lines! Somehow, Umi magically made her eyes twice the normal size, and they filled up with tears. With that, Umi's Sorrow Power grabbed ahold of Kotori, and she collapsed on top of Umi, who had regained enough function in her arms to roll her until they were lying side by side in Umi's bed.

Well, as the hero saying went, if brute force doesn't succeed, try seduction! Gothingale's honey tongue power had multiple uses, but that was one of the top three. She opened her mouth to start reducing Umi's will to resist orally and ... nothing came out. She felt a magical cage around her head, filtering what she could say. Oh crap .. she was locked into Honorable Negotiation mode. This was a _power_? All that she could get out was "Of course I'll marry you, Umi-chan!"

Umi's tears changed to tears of happiness. "I knew we were soul-mates! We can hold hands - and have one kiss at New Years -- but I am glad Kotori agrees anything more than that will have to wait for MARRIAGE." Kotori could feel Falcon Crossed releasing Cure's Sorrow Bond, and Honorable Negotiation mode deactivating, but the damage was done. She supposed it was her own fault for trying to take advantage of Umi, especially because that falcon cilice must really be biting her, but still ....

 _Honor powers ... SUCK!_ She thought.

 

* * *

 

The combination of Nozomi's dairy and seduction powers had already totally embarrassed Eli more than once - the notable incident where Eli was photographed leaving the student council room with an obvious milk mustache came to mind - but she thought her trickster fox spirit and 'Bus's seduction powers might be fun to use. And what better target than Womanherd? 

Only when it was too late did she realize what a combination of seduction and perfection could lead to, if the target was helping, not resisting. Suffice it to say, Kitsune Kick and Womanherd were going to be out of action - hero action - for the next few days.

 

* * *

 

The only change resulting from swapping Rin's energy with Hanayo's compassion was a switch in who was on top, which they both found refreshing. So both Hamster Honey and Cat Nip were raring to go after the akuma master.

* * *

 

By the time the rest joined them, behind the school, everybody and their kwami was helping their switching partner learn to use their Essence abilities - even Nico and Maki. In response to a very romantic plea by Sacred Squirrel, they put finding Ottergirl as their top priority. As it happened, that led them to the akuma master's hideout, anyway. Tsubasa was doing leaping and biting attacks on the akuma from a nearby stream. It was obvious she was tiring, but something kept her going in a way Longmarch became a little jealous of. Panthy told her to stop being ridiculous and help.

When Tsubasa's eyes met Honoka's, she said "I knew you would come. I knew it. I never doubted it for  minute!"

Pleased at her faith in her partner, Honoka replied, "Whenever you are in trouble, Tsubasa - stay alive! I will find you!"

Everyone else groaned, but Tsubasa was clearly inspired, and fought like she'd gotten a second wind.

Then Honoka brought out a bouquet of roses. Even Tsubasa looked a little worried - weren't they in the middle of an akuma fight?

Honoka pointed to the wrapping paper, which said "Tuxedo Mask Florists and Hero Supplies." Then she presented the bouquet to Tsubasa and said, "Duck!"

With a thrilling and romantic flick of her fingers, all of the dozen roses found a target. Just like that, the number of akuma fighting was less than half what it had been. Meanwhile, THIMK had managed to come up with ways to make Nico;s panda powers effective in an actual fight, starting with a paralyzing Cuteness Bomb. Panthy had never deigned to ask THIMK for detailed help - knowledge was at the top of her skill-set already - but Nico had taken a more pragmatic approach, and the two snarky grumps were now fast friends. Her experience with Maki had taught her how to put up with snobbery for a good cause, after all.

When Cat Nip scratched the last akuma to pieces like a roll of toilet paper, they were suddenly interrupted by villainous laughter.

* * *

 

HAHAHAHAHAHAA! THE VICTORY IS SEEMINGLY YOURS TODAY, BUT I WILL HAVE MY REVENGE! MY DEMONS HAVE PLACED AN UNBREAKABLE SWITCHER CURSE ON ALL OF YOU. ONCE A YEAR, FOR A FULL CYCLE OF THE MOON, YOUR KWAMIS WILL BE RANDOMLY SHUFFLED, MIRACULOUS MUSE PLUS TSUBASA!

"The Terrific Twelve!" hissed Ottergirl. But the fiend, being a fiend, ignored the correction.

NOTHING YOU CAN DO WILL BREAK THIS CURSE, NO MATTER HOW MUCH IT INCAPA ---

And just like that, he was silenced by a Falcon Right Cross - and a Kitsune Kick! Nozomi and Eli, wearing only night-gowns, had arrived.

As the groaning villain lost consciousness, he saw a smirking little panda crouch down and look him in the eye.

"We can work with that," she snickered.

 

* * *

 

**EPILOG:**

With the information from the kwamis that the Switcher effect would fade in another day or so, Tsubasa and Honoka decided to make the most of it, while they still had it. They had rented a flat-bottomed boat, and brought a picnic basket and art supplies, and were spending the afternoon on a secluded lake. 

"Tsubasa ...." Honoka said. "Paint me like one of your French girls."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I should explain the pre-switch kwamis, miraculous jewelry, naming, etc. world-building. First of all, unlike Miraculous Ladybug, they all got piercings, and not just earrings. This is an edgier, female-only parody AU after all.
> 
>   * Eli: Fans have often associated her with Kitsune, and that goes well with her Kick move. Her Perfection kwami's name, "Parfait," literally means "perfect," and of course it's her girlfriend treat with Nozomi.
>   * Nozomi: Pun on "womanhood" and herd of cows. Her Kwami of sensuality's name, " 'Bus," is short for succubus, though she's a Lilith variant, a liccubus.  
>  If I had more time I would have explained why Nozomi was so taken with a perfect foxy blonde parfait gay wearing a jeweled choker collar. Unfortunately I'll have to leave that a mystery for now.
>   * Due to manga artist Ooshima Tomo, and one of the cards in School Idol Festival, Nico is often depicted as a cute panda. Her impish nature leads to the panda-monium. The Long March was an epic march across China - the home of the panda - that decided its Civil War in the 1940s through patience and endurance. Nico is still the butt of a lot of physical humor. 
>   * Honoka's heroine name is a pun on "Secret Squirrel," an old cartoon, and her faith power. B-leave sounded like an idol group to me but it's pretty dull for wordplay, really 
>   * I wanted to call Kotori "Nightingoth" instead of "Gothingale," but "Gothingale's Nightingale Song" read better than "Nightingoth's Nightingale" did to me. Why The Cure would be the Kwami of Sorrow's name is almost self-explanatory. 
>   * Umi's name is also pretty feeble, a distant pun on "Falcon Crest," an old American night-time soap opera, and her boxing cross punch. Her kwami of Honor's full name is Undawn, Ted. 
>   * Rin's name, Cat Nip, is pretty typical boilerplate costume hero crap. Her kwami of Energy's name, "AK-Deek," is spelled AC/DC." 
>   * Hanayo's name is also a cute version of standard animal hero naming. Her tongue stud is made of tungsten, but it's the special toungue-sten of hamster, which just sounds interesting. For compassion, Feelya, like B-leave, is just very lame. 
>   * As the kwami of condescending know-it-alls, THIMK (a well-known parody of the IBM slogan) made Maki's name as a combination of panther, panty, and, as Maki explains, the love interest in Revolutionary Girl Utena. She was given a Panther P____y ring, which is why none of them will say what it is, and only Nico can inspect it. 
>   * Tsubasa's name is a pun on "atta girl!" and her otter power. White Day is the Valentine's Day payback holiday in March in Japan. It's a treacly thing created by the candy industry which caught on. Whiteday's concepts of Romance come from Twilight, Titanic, the Last of the Mohicans, and other fine films. Honoka's variant of throwing roses is from Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon. 
> 



	9. Summer Camp Romance TBA

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> AU Yeah Augist 9: Summer Camp
>
>> "Four days, three nights. NozoEli."
> 
> Nishikino Maki wants to help her girlfriend, the hardest working senior at Kyoto’s summer performing arts camp. But they only have four days and three nights to make Nico's best friends realize their feelings. She’ll need all the help she can get. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one is mostly Nozomi and Eli's story, but Nico and Maki get plenty of the back-story.

"Rin thinks Maki-chan is so mature, nyan!"

The shortest of the three girls said to the one leading the way. She was an excitable first-year who colored her hair an orangish chestnut color. Next to her was a busty fellow first year with glasses, and going ahead was an elegant-looking girl with auburn-colored hair who definitely did look mature and in control.

"Rin ..." Hanayo said, putting her hand on Rin’s shoulder.

"Kayo-chin, Maki is like a grown woman, meeting her girlfriend for lovey-dovey stuff. They’re even sleeping in Nico-sempai’s tent!"

Maki blushed, but responded, "We’ve been through this, Rin. For the record, Nico and I have been together since I was in middle school, and, yes we sleep together, we like sleeping together. It’s no big deal by now."

Both Hanayo and Rin blushed even more than Maki had. "Maki-chan, so bold!"

"I suppose ..." Maki said, twirling one strand of hair in another sign of embarrassment.

"Ummm … Maki-chan?" Hanayo began, " How exactly do you get away with sleeping in the personal tent of a senior, anyway?"

"The camp director ...

"Kotori’s mom, nyah!"

"Yes, her. She turns a blind eye, basically. You two know about the first day when the seniors take care of the basics for the middle schoolers, right?" They both nodded.

"Well, Nico does virtually all the work. She’s used to taking care of three other kids, so she just does five or ten times the size of everything. I suppose it helps that if anyone unfamiliar with us saw us together, they would never guess Nico was even older than me. We’ve been relying on that the whole way."

"Wow!" Rin and Hanayo said.

"Also, she knows me. She knows I’m mature and discreet. I’ve even helped out on the first day when they needed an extra hand."

She turned to them with a serious look. "Do you two really want to know how this works?"

Taking their silence as assent, she added, " Well for one thing you can’t make any noise at all, really. Even if you have to, like, bite on some cloth at first. We don’t often get a chance to make any sounds at all, but then again, having to be quiet, not getting caught is also very sexy."

Rin was very quiet. Come to think of it, she was somewhat pale, too.

But Maki remembered another thing. "And you can't make the bed or the cot creak or squeak or anything. That's just as bad. You're usually better off moving to a sleeping bag on the floor. Then when you're both finished you move back to the cot."

"Ummm, Maki-chan, you’re a very good friend to tell us such things, but I am not sure we’re ready to hear about it, after all," Hanayo said, quietly.

Maki looked at Hanayo, then back again at Rin. She turned beet red. She continued playing with her hair and said,  " Ahh, I don’t get it! What about the part where I lose myself in her eyes and we tell each other how much we love each other, over and over?"

That made Hanayo tear up, and Rin look embarrassed for being embarrassed.

Then, impatiently, she said, " Anyway, this camp isn’t going to be fun and games at ALL."

Rin and Hanayo were obviously puzzled.

"Nico’s really worried about Eli and Nozomi ," she explained.

"What’s wrong with Nozomi-sempai and Eli-sempai?" Rin wondered.

They had reached the tent the three would share. This had been their routine last summer, as it meant a three-person tent for Hanayo and Rin, once Maki relocated to Nico’s cot.

This time, since Maki was in high school, she was going to openly move her stuff immediately to Nico’s tent. In compensation for that, she’d brought the bare minimum, so it wouldn’t be obvious two people were staying there. " I’ll be back in about fifteen minutes!" she told them.

When Maki got back she looked troubled.

"It’s probably worse than I thought. Nozomi and Eli are still avoiding each other, and Nico’s going to be too busy to help."

"Avoiding completely??" Hanayo squealed.

"Ah, no. But avoiding any romantic developments. Even though they spend a lot of time gawking at each other…"

"Maki-chan, you know what this means!"

"Rin ..."

"No, Hanayo. I know I normally shoot down Rin’s wild plans pretty much non-stop. It’s just what I do." She twirled her hair again. " But this time, she’s right."

"She … she is?" Hanayo said, uncertainly.

"I am! Nyah!"

Maki bowed formally. " Hoshizora Rin, Koizumi Hanayo, I implore you to give me all possible aid in bringing Toujou Nozomi and Ayase Eli together. Please take care of me."

Rin’s fist pump and Hanayo’s blush was all the answer she needed.

* * *

 

 

Maki returned to her and Nico’s tent. She made coffee using Nico’s mountain climbing stove, and brought it to the hard-working girl. At first she couldn't find her, as she was too short to be seen over the large steel pot she was cleaning, but when she did locate her and give her her coffee, the smile she got in return made her feel very happy.

Maki looked around for the two targets. After Nico, Eli was the hardest working, so it was no surprise she was testing the audio and lighting on the main stage. "Okay if I make some for Eli, pumpkin?" she asked Nico.

Nico considered for a second. It didn't feel like she was running out any time soon. "Good idea, thanks!" she responded. Anything that got Maki on Eli's good side couldn't hurt. "Maki-chan, put a little — not overpowering — cocoa powder in it once it's brewed."

That, Maki reflected, would give it a chocolate finish without turning it into a mocha. If their wildest ideas ever came true and she and Nico stayed together long enough to get married, she was at least assured of a phenomenal cook as a housewife. Given Eli's taste for chocolate, it would put a smile on her face for sure. And so it turned out. She gave Eli's coffee half the cream she'd put in Nico's, and no sugar at all. Eli was beaming at Maki after she tasted it. "Nico-chan is so very lucky to have you. She must have been very, very good in a previous life," she said, lifting an eyebrow a little.

"Eli-sempai, you know what? There really hasn't been a downside so far for either of us, being in a committed relationship. We get so much more done, we're not lonely all the time. I can bitch about things for an hour and she'll just listen and hold me. She is lucky to have me, but I am just as lucky to have her. Perhaps I am just partial here, but look at her. Isn't she cute?" Maki pointed over at Nico, who was small enough that she had actually climbed inside the big pot to finish scrubbing it. She looked like an elf or a small child. Eli laughed and agreed.

Maki might as well go full speed ahead. "What's Nozomi-sempai up to?"

"Orienting the kids. I had to warn her not to even joke about topics that are too mature for them."

"Yes, we wouldn't want that," Maki said, nervously, thinking of Rin and Hanayo.

"The middle-schoolers usually sample everything and take a lot of simple classes, you know. If they ask Nozomi for advice, she has a pretty good track record of steering individual kids to things they'd like," Eli observed.

"She definitely gives off an intuitive, supportive aura, sempai."

"Yeah," Eli said, not realizing how dreamily she spoke.

"We're going to be here four days and three nights, sempai."

"True, but what about it?"

"I just think instead of taking each other for granted, you should make a point of doing at least one fun thing with Nozomi every day. It isn't just the classes and your first-day duty, you know. It's the memories you can make or not. If you don't, you can't get them back."

"I would ask if this is speaking from personal experience, but I know you and Nico plan your time exactly that way, already."

"We sure do, and for good reasons." Maki looked at Eli significantly.

"But you two are a couple. Nozomi and I aren't  … dating, after all," Eli said, though she was a little tentative where she probably wished to be more firm.

"Bzzzzt! Nico and I did that kind of planning even when we were just hanging out, our first summer. We didn't want one of us to not be having fun and being polite about it. And we each thought the other was too young to date, to boot."

"I think the logistics are trickier than you imagine them to be, but if you can talk Nozomi into it, I could be up for that. But 'fun things' is pretty vague, right?"

This is where the meticulous Hanayo came in. Not only did she have schedules, but she'd highlighted the likeliest activities that Nozomi and Eli would probably both enjoy. Looking at it, Maki decided on the best one.

"My friend Hanayo highlighted the most interesting things. This one is good. It's the big music thing. You and Nozomi will be done with your first-day duties, you'll have time to freshen up and change quickly, and if you get there a half-hour before it starts or so, you can sit up front by the taiko drums and they give the audience there a chance to play a set of them during the performance."

She could see Eli's eyes light up. 

"You know," Maki said, "my girlfriend is busy most of the day, my friends are still settling in. Why don't I go find Nozomi and ask her?"

Eli obviously wanted to object purely out of embarrassment, but couldn't come up with a good reason, so she saluted her and went back to prepping the stage. 

Over her shoulder, Maki heard Eli ask her why she and Nico weren't doing what she was suggesting for Nozomi and Eli. "We did it last year," she replied.

* * *

 

 

When Maki got to Nozomi-sempai, she had to wait, because that girl was surrounded by eager middle-schoolers. They clearly all put a lot of faith in her advice, and her reputation preceded her.

She looked them over. Eli’s little sister, and Honoka’s, waved at her. They would both be high-schoolers next year, but they were already restricting themselves to dance classes. As such, they already knew what they were taking. They were just waiting around to talk to Nozomi, just as Maki was, so she waved them over. They were both sweet girls, so they hugged Maki from either side. “Guess who’s here, sempai?” Alisa said. When Maki attempted to scan the small mob of middle-schoolers, Yukiho put her hands over Maki’s eyes. “Iiiyeh, you gotta guess, sempai.” Who could possibly be here for the first time that Maki would recognize … “Cocoro??”

She heard a loud cry of “MAKI-NEEEE!” and felt herself being hugged from the front. When you considered that Yukiho and Alisa were both still hugging her …

“Ara, we have a womanizer preying on my lambs! Someone do something!” she heard.

“Who’s just standing here being hugged, again, Nozomi-sempai??” Maki said, flustered. She’d opened her eyes and looked down. Yazawas were so tiny. She always forgot. “Cocoro, it’s so good to see you here! I had forgotten this would be the year. Have you seen Nico?”

“Maki-nee! Maki-nee!” Cocoro exulted. “And yeah I have ‘seen’ Onee-chan. She said two words to me then had me help her move a bench, even though we were the two tiniest people there!” She took her hands off Maki’s waist to put them on her hips.

“Did you at least get a hug?” Maki wondered.

“Well, of course. It _is_ Nee-chan, after all,” Cocoro replied. “But I can tell she’s going to be boring all day. Can I hang out with you, Maki-nee?”

“Not this time, I’m afraid. I am on a secret mission. And I am not lying, I swear. Plus, this is your first time. You need to be taking as many classes as you can fit in, little girl! Didn’t Nico make you a plan?”

Cocoro looked embarrassed.

“And are you, in fact, late for a class?”

“Maybe,” the girl said, looking down.

“It’s the first class of the first day, so if you run now you can say you got lost or something,” Maki said, giving her a hug. “Nico and I both want you to make the most of this, no excuses. You need to do well in your classes, and network. And networking means you get to know other kids your age, and the other kids in the middle school sessions, not always hang out with the older kids. And before you say I’m not doing that? The only reason I think my secret mission will succeed is that I have Rin and Hanayo on my side. If you have any problems or questions today, by the way, you’re better off talking to these two little villains than any of the seniors, including Nico. Alisa and Yukiho know the ropes.”

She heard Alisa cutely asking Yukiho what ropes the classes were using today, but for the most part, her desire to imitate her older sister made the quarter-Russian a very reliable sempai.

All three middle schoolers gave Maki a last squeeze, then they went off to the side to look at the schedule Nico had made for Cocoro. Before that girl could run off to catch half of her first class, Nozomi had a break from students asking her questions, so Maki seized her chance.

Nozomi looked Maki over. “She’s hiding her wings, but did she forget her bow and arrow, I wonder?” Then she smiled at Maki. “Hello, Cupid-chan.”

Maki probably looked stunned, so she continued, “Nicocchi has tried not to be obvious about it, but she’s clearly decided this is going to be her last stand. I am not shocked she drafted her little girlfriend into the conflict. It’s going to be a tougher thing than you both are thinking.”

“And why is that, sempai?”

“Well, you know the problem on Eli’s side already. But on my side -- don’t I have my pride as a woman? I am scarcely going to come crawling, and even if I did, she’d just dismiss it. She’s not even comfortable with the idea yet, after years of it sort of floating over us. If I want someone who will just stare at me all the time without saying anything, I can simply walk down the street in Akihabara, after all.”

“Then, can Nozomi-sempai put aside a little of her pride if Eli-sempai puts aside a little of her discomfort, and go from there?”

“Nozomi-sempai has already done a lot of that. Maybe a little more is okay, but no more than that.”

“Fine. I mainly came here to say that Eli said if you were up for going to the big music event a half hour early, and waiting in the prime seats where you get to play the taiko during the performance - I have no doubt when they have you try it out you’ll both be able to get a good sound out — she was, too. That gives you two at least twenty minutes almost alone with nothing to do but talk. And you get to watch each other play taiko, which has to be stimulating. Poor Nico last year could barely reach the children’s taiko they have for the smallest middle-schoolers. And of course, unlike you two, her breasts were scarcely heaving as she leaned forward on the drums.”

“So, you got Elicchi to agree to a first-day date? Impressive. Okay, I’ll go along.”

“Well, me and Nico together, I suppose. But mainly me, yeah. I mean, she’s got such a complex she forgot that, in addition to being a potential lover, you’re still her best friend, and she needed to enjoy camp with you and make happy memories. I think she was a little embarrassed about forgetting that. It might seem unromantic, but I told her you two should plan a schedule for all four days and three nights, and include at least one thing every day you do together to have fun. Are you up for that?”

“As long as it’s fun, why not? It is good to see Eli doing a little of the work, I have to say. In fact, the more she does, the less she resists. That’s why me doing everything is not just unfair, it’s ineffective. However …” and she looked at Maki very seriously, “you will at some point run into the same wall I did. That’s when you’ll find out what a difficult project you’ve taken on.”

“What she doesn’t know, sempai, is that I am not in this alone. I have help,” Maki said, confidently.

“Poor Elicchi,” Nozomi smirked. “Her little world is going to be invaded by the barbarians, isn’t it?”

Maki lifted both fists over her head and said, “RAAAAARRRRR!”

* * *

 

Nozomi probably teased Eli too much, she reflected. When she had a real break, therefore, she surprised Eli by visiting her and being all business.

“Elicchi, did you bring a tank-top this time?” were her first words. When Eli shook her head, she brought out one of hers, freshly washed, and handed it to her. “You’ll thank me later. We won’t have much time to get ready after we’re done, so let’s agree now to meet up there?”

Eli nodded. Unluckily, this year they’d been put in personal tents on either side of a line of tents. Nozomi was on the outside, and only Nico had a tent further out than Eli. So they were about 12 tents away from each other. Nozomi was a little bigger than her, but the tank top was stretchy and would do fine.

“My break,” Nozomi said. She gave Eli a quick hug, which made her blush, then waved and ran off. Eli approved of her responsible attitude, actually. She’d been a bit worried about her taking first-day duties seriously, but she had behaved like she did in the student council office, not like her teasing and flirty off-duty persona. Come to think of it, she’d been all business this time. Probably because she knew time was limited. Still, it was a more mature persona than Eli was used to, and she approved. She reflected that without Maki and Nico, she wouldn’t see as much of this side of Nozomi. The two girls would have a lot of time before the performance to talk. Eli decided to bring a pocket notepad and pen and do as Maki had suggested: schedule something fun for her and Nozomi to do every day. This was, after all, their very last camp. It would be tragic if all they had to remember it by was getting their tasks and coursework done.

* * *

 

Maki didn’t take Rin and Hanayo’s help for granted. She reported to them, faithfully, everything that had been accomplished so far, and they discussed what to do next as equal participants.

“Nyah, we can’t mess any of those up, Rin knows.”

“Yes, Rin-chan, we have to work around them. That means that we ask Nozomi-sempai what their plans are, and we make sure we don’t upset them. This isn’t some comedy manga, after all, these are our friends. And we also have to tell Nozomi-sempai what we’re up to as often as possible.”

“Unless we have a surprise for her that won’t impact one of their friend-dates, yeah,” Maki agreed. “So, what is the big wall we’re supposed to hit with Eli? She’s already wistful when she talks about Nozomi, and Nozomi says she’s been staring at her a lot lately.”

“Rin thinks it’s denial, Maki-chan.”

“Mmmmm yeah,” Hanayo agreed.

“Okay, I don’t want to offend you two, but … I have a question that’s involved in all this.”

“You’re our friend, Maki-chan. We know you wouldn’t deliberately insult or offend us. If it’s too mature, I’ll let you know.”

“Okay, umm.” Maki looked down. Then she looked up, with her hands somewhat clenched to her sides. “You two are a bit like Eli and Nozomi. So why aren’t you dating? Or why aren’t you calling it dating?”

They both blushed. Maki hoped she hadn’t offended them, after all. It was pretty personal.

“Umm.  Ummm … Rin-chan thinks we just weren’t ready.”

Maki could accidentally swoop into student/detective mode and forget herself, and that started to occur.

“But Rin … Hanayo … How would either of you feel if someone stole the other girl from you while you’re waiting to _be_ ready?” Maki asked, then realized how personal that was and blushed.

“I would hate it!” Hanayo said, earnestly. “Rin-chan, I don’t want anyone else to be your girlfriend, ever.”

Rin looked thoughtful. “Kayo-chin, Rin doesn’t want us confessing just because we felt under pressure … I don’t want that.”

Hanayo nodded.

“But maybe, maybe Rin doesn’t see what we’re waiting for anymore. We’re already in high school, and Rin has liked Hanayo the most for ten years now. So …”

She got down on one knee and took Hanayo’s hands in her own.

“Kayo-chin, Rin really, really likes you. Please go out with me!”

Hanayo started crying, but she gave Rin her hand and pulled her to her. Their first kiss turned out to be long and passionate. “Ohh … Rin! I love you so much!” she cried.

“Mmmmm I love you too, Kayo-chin! Mmmmm”

Eventually they broke their kiss. They looked into each other’s eyes and smiled, then gave each other a very tight hug. Suddenly, Rin laughed.

“Kayo-chin, we have our revenge on Maki-chan, nyan!”

That girl had fled their tent at some point during their kiss.

* * *

 

“Not ready,” Maki said to herself. Could it be as simple as that?

She had deliberately not scheduled a morning class. All of her classes but one vocal training were dance-oriented. She really had nothing to learn on the piano a summer camp could help her with. She hoped Rin and Hanayo wouldn’t forget their class in the whirlwind of being an official couple, but if they did, it was a small loss, really.

She went over to Nico after her first, jazz-oriented class. After talking it over, they decided not to go to the big music event. Instead, they would have tea inside their tent, talk about their day, discuss their strategy going forward, and make love. No one else would be around, and it would let them get to sleep early. Tomorrow, Nico would have a little free time, so they could plot and act together to a degree, so they might as well get an early start. As a potential doctor in training, Maki approved of the way Nico took getting enough sleep seriously. It was one of the things they agreed on that wasn’t very common in girls their age. Almost half of the first day was used up, but Maki thought she’d made more than adequate progress.

Four days.

Three nights.

NozoEli.

* * *

 

Rin and Hanayo agreed their first step had to be involving their second-year friends, who didn’t know Maki very well. If it had just been Honoka-sempai, Hanayo wouldn’t have agreed. The potential for a farcical episode would just be too high. But Kotori-sempai was the most persuasive girl she knew, and Umi-sempai was a perfect foil to Honoka. She controlled the girl when she was most prone to causing problems, and Honoka got her to get out of her … her … Eli-like shell!

“Rin-chan, we’re going to have to push Umi-sempai’s limits. There’s no help for it.”

“Nyah. Like Maki-chan used us as an example of what could be going on with Nozomi-sempai and Eli-sempai?”

“Yeah. Umi and Eli are so much alike, it can’t be helped.”

“Nnnnn. Maybe we should ask Kotori-sempai to help us convince Umi-sempai?”

“No, Rin-chan. That won’t get her full cooperation. Only total honesty will. We’re going to be asking her embarrassing things and putting her on the spot, after all.”

At any rate, they saw the three together and headed for them. Rin and Hanayo bowed before their sempais, and, in unison, said, “Onegaishimasu!”

* * *

 

Maki touched base with Rin and Hanayo after her second class of the day, and their third. She immediately praised them for involving their second-year sempais, and agreed that Sonoda Umi was as close a fit to Ayase Eli as they would find anywhere. They passed on a surprising observation from Umi-sempai.

“It needs to be said,” she’d told them, “that Russia, especially after its communist period ended, and a reaction set in, is very far behind Japan on same-sex relationships. Eli and Alisa were both raised there to begin with, but Eli spent three more years there. Quite possibly their beloved grandmother didn’t approve of such things. That would be a big burden for Eli-sempai, right there.”

Apparently the five of them had discussed it, and noted that Alisa had no visible objection to girls dating, and was possibly even going to eventually date Honoka’s sister Yukiho, from whom she was currently inseparable. They couldn’t enlist her in a campaign against her sister, of course, but they could ask her about it. This summer camp was going to be an affair where honesty trumped social embarrassment already. Honoka had volunteered to talk to Yukiho and Alisa, but she’d pointed out that it wouldn’t be enlisting Alisa to say why they wanted to talk about it. If Alisa told Eli, it was fine. It might backfire, but they would simply tell Alisa the facts and let her make up her own mind about what she told her sister. It helped that she was very fond of Nozomi, already calling her Nozomi-nee. Honoka had told them that, via Yukiho, she’d learned that Alisa had called Nozomi her “drugaya syestra” once in Russian, which meant her “other sister.” All of that was hopeful, especially as they just needed information about their family and upbringing, which could apply to either of them.

It turned out Hanayo and Rin, while embarrassed, were waiting to put Maki herself on the spot. They’d suddenly become interested in topics that were previously very far into “too mature” territory.

“Maki-chan, while thinking about Nozomi and Eli-sempais, and us, we realized that Eli is like us, she probably doesn’t even think about mature things involving two girls. We’re pretty sure Nozomi does.”

“Rin is sure, too, Maki-chan. Kayo-chin and I have even talked about such mature things as masturbation, even. It’s been an embarrassing day. It feels like we’ve both gotten older today, but Rin doesn’t think it’s too soon anymore.”

“What Rin means is, we talked about it, and we even think Nozomi-sempai thinks about Eli-sempai and masturbates. That would make sense of a couple of teasing things she’s said to make us blush when talking about Eli-sempai. She won’t have any problems with physical love between girls. And it seems Maki-chan is helping so Nozomi-sempai’s woman’s pride won’t be attacked.”

“When Rin had to think about all these mature topics … well, Nozomi sempai has pretty eyes and her breasts are the biggest Rin knows about. She is very sexy, and if Eli-sempai doesn’t want her for a girlfriend, there are lots and lots of girls who will. Maybe even at this camp.”

That was an idea, Maki reflected. But very much a last-ditch idea, and she didn’t know how they’d go about it.

“Anyway, Maki-chan, we now know how you felt earlier today. We don’t want to intrude on your privacy, or Nico-sempai’s. We don’t want to offend you …”

Maki pondered that. “Ummm are you wanting to know how far we’ve gone? I might not have made it completely explicit, but whatever either one of us wants, the other one does. We’ve had a lot of sex over the years, so I think the answer is, very far?”

Hanayo looked embarrassed still. “Ummm, no no no …. Not that … Ummm … more like, when did Maki-chan and Nico-sempai …”

“Ah,” Maki said. Well, it was a little embarrassing, but having had a lover for three years now made it less than her two fellow first-years probably felt it was.

“Okay, when we first got together and I was a first-year in middle school … “

“Twelve years old??” Rin couldn’t help but ask.

“Yes, twelve years old, Rin. Anyway, I met Nico at a resort area. My family was vacationing there, and I was so bored. Nico was working helping out a cousin of the Yazawas to earn summer money. She knew how old I was, roughly, and I thought she was a grade-schooler. So, though we hung out, and we each thought the other was pretty and cute, we just planned a bunch of ways to hang out together when Nico wasn’t working. She was staying with her cousin, but her time was her own, and my parents didn’t care as long as I stayed in touch by text."

“Anyway, eventually I found out how old she was. I’d been feeling guilty about how much I wanted to kiss her, and shocked, too, because I hadn’t really had such feelings before. She resisted, a little, but I did kiss her.”

“We started kissing lots, and before I left, we’d gone to touching each other’s chests over our clothing, and … fondling each other’s rear ends as we kissed, I think. We had traded numbers, of course, that first day, and on weekends when middle school had started, we went to the shops, and we made a habit of finding out-of-the-way places to make out.”

“If we found a very private place, we eventually started touching each other on the breasts directly while kissing, I remember, and then also outside our panties. Finally, one time we graduated to touching each other inside our panties, and we both had our finish. After that, we became addicted, but it was very rarely we could get together.”

“One time I asked if Nico could stay over, I remember, and my parents were both called to the hospital, so we got under the covers without any clothes at all and touched each other and kissed, and that was when I first made, like, moans and noises and she did too. I set an alarm so we could clean up and dress up in pajamas before my parents would come back. The whole thing felt so mature, and I wasn’t even a teenager yet.  I was very proud of myself. Nico looked at me with such tenderness it made me cry a lot, though. She held me so tight, I can still remember it like it was yesterday.”

Rin and Hanayo, by this point, were hanging on her every word.

“Anyway … for my thirteenth birthday, I was still a first-year, it was already well established that Nico and I were best friends, and we’d never, ever gotten into any trouble together. On the contrary, we studied a lot together and it helped Nico’s grades a lot, and mine a little. Anyway … anyway, we went camping together, just she and I, after I had a party early in the day. We weren’t really that far from Tokyo but far enough that no one was around at all. Nico-chan used her mouth on me for the first time, and  … and I discovered what all the fuss was about. I screamed, and I fainted. Really fainted. Nico was really worried, but …”

Maki looked at them. “Believe it or not, this is the embarrassing part.” She could tell they did find that hard to swallow.

“When I was aware again, it really was after less than a minute,  I … I grabbed Nico-chan and pulled her down and then grabbed her head and pulled it back into me. And I said, ‘more, please!’ I wasn’t in control of myself at that point. Anyway, Nico did as I demanded, and when I had my moment again, she started laughing. I mean, she’d been worried because my eyes rolled up and  I fainted, and now she had this little sex maniac on her hands. Pretty soon, I joined her. I think laughing is a big part of a healthy physical relationship, you know. Tickling, and laughing when the other one is absurd.”

“Well,” Hanayo began.

“Un … we did ask,” Rin finished.

* * *

 

After everyone’s last class of the day, but before the third-years would be done helping the middle schoolers, the first-years and second-years met up. Honoka had met up with Alisa and Yukiho. Alisa had complained that it felt like everyone was ganging up on her beloved big sister, but she also appreciated the fact that the lack of progress was making Nozomi-sempai, who she liked a great deal, sad. Unfortunately, she’d confirmed that their upbringing had definitely involved same-sex relationships being completely unmentionable and unthinkable. She didn’t think their grandmother had ever mentioned them, though, so she probably hadn’t been bigoted against them. She pointed out that she and Yukiho, being only barely fifteen, were still a little young to be dating (hearing that made Maki blush for both her and Nico) but said if they were, she wouldn’t be a bit ashamed. Honoka said that if she knew her sister, they would be a couple before they left camp. “She just had this look on her face when Alisa said that.”

“Ooh, and how would Honoka-chan know that look?” Kotori asked, mischievously. Surprisingly, Umi joined in, “Well, I think Tsubasa-san is kind of an expert on what Honoka knows about things like that, lately, should we ask her? Hmmm, I wonder.” She had a very Kotori-like smirk on her face.

“Mou! You two!” Honoka yelled. She was bright red, so Maki could tell they knew what they were talking about. “Just for that, I won’t ask Tsubasa-chan for help, so there!”

At that, Umi and Kotori bowed almost to the ground and asked Honoka-sama to forgive their unworthy selves for their unspeakable and inexcusable rudeness. For the first-years, it was like watching a hilarious period comedy. “Okay then,” Honoka huffed.

Maki spoke up. “If it turns out this is an intractable situation, Honoka-sempai, I might have a request, but it’s a big imposition, not just on you and Tsubasa, but also her friends.”

Honoka had apparently at least considered something like what Maki was alluding to, so she just nodded for Maki to go on.

“If it turns out Eli-sempai is simply too stubborn and in denial, no matter what, after tomorrow, there will be only two days and one night left. Can Anju and Erena both help us make her jealous? If it was just one of them, it might backfire, but if it’s both then there won’t be any real jealousy, right?”

Honoka said of course she’d have to ask the two directly, but that it was certainly possible they’d say yes.

After that, Umi was surprisingly forthcoming about the psychological processes a shy and easily embarrassed girl like her or Eli would go through. She shocked the first years by confessing that she and Kotori had started dating that summer, though “nothing too mature” was going on yet, and they weren’t making it public knowledge, either. She told them that Eli could never feel like she was being put on the spot, or her feelings were being mocked or disregarded.

The others took all of her advice to heart. They thanked her sincerely, and Umi told them they were all good girls and their concern for their sempais was praiseworthy, and nothing to be ashamed of.

No one interfered at all with Eli and Nozomi’s music date. Everyone but Nico and Maki went to the big first-day music performance, and both Nozomi and Eli did a professional-level job playing taiko. The crowd had been amazed and applauded them both, and they’d exchanged a sweaty hug after the second player, Nozomi, was done.

Tsubasa, Anju and Erena told the others that, from an outside perspective, their performance had, indeed, been extremely sexy, as neither were wearing a bra under their tank tops. “Poor Eli-san!” Anju said. “At least Nozomi-san can help herself, but Eli will probably have a hard time sleeping after that.” They all laughed. It was all too likely to be true.

Nico and Maki’s evening went as nicely as they’d wanted it to. Where they were they could hear all the music clearly. They didn’t know which taiko was their two friends, but they were impressed that the quality never wavered.

“Maki-chan, this hasn’t cut into your classes?” Nico asked. It was one of their firmest rules, after all.

“Not at all. When I am in class, I am in class, and when I am out of it, I switch modes.”

“You are … amazing, Maki-chan,” Nico said. Maki knew that being with her made Nico tear up easily, and this was no exception.

“My amazingness instructor was herself well-versed in it,” Maki responded, earning her a gentle kiss.

“Well,” Nico said, “My day was about as I thought it would be. I was very proud of Cocoro, after the morning, she was independent all day, and she even made a few friends. Plus, I think she did well in her classes. It helps if you know where you’re going and why you’re doing it. She wants to follow in my footsteps, you know. I told her just not to over-commit too early, but in general, I’m encouraging it. The performing life is very cruel, but it gets much nicer the earlier you start. That’s just a fact of life.”

“Oh,” she continued, “and also, when she came to get me, instead of just waiting around, she pitched in and helped. Meaning she was helping me take care of campers older than she is. She impressed everyone in the camp. I think she’ll find, like I did, that that pays huge dividends.”

“Did anything interesting not involving Cocoro happen?”

“Not that you wouldn’t know about. Rin and Hanayo’s second-years, and Alisa and Yukiho, checked in with me. Poor Eli-chan won’t know what hit her, will she?”

“Let’s hope not, until the arrow is lodged in her heart, pumpkin.”

“May your wish be fulfilled, princess!”

The rest of their dialog that night was all pillow talk.

* * *

 

The next morning was already time for Nozomi and Eli’s designated activity. They got up three hours early to go rowing on the lake, catching a beautiful sunrise in the process. To their surprise, especially Eli’s, Yukiho and Alisa showed up at the boat dock with two Valentines red-colored mochas, courtesy of Nico’s stove-top espresso maker. Eli shook her head, but her little sister’s sweet, earnest expression made her laugh and pat her head. Nozomi’s eyes were shining, and Eli didn’t miss that detail. She was starting to get a sense that everyone at the camp was plugging for Nozomi to win her over, but she felt, stubbornly, that she still wasn’t ready. As usual, when she thought that, her thoughts skirted away from asking when she would be, and how she’d know, and if that would ever even happen. In the past, she’d dismissed it as jeopardizing their friendship, but she’d come to the uneasy realization this year that it was her unwillingness to consider being Nozomi’s girlfriend — like she wasn’t good enough, perhaps — that was now endangering it.

As the two young, yawning girls waved to them, and their boat pulled slowly away from the dock, she realized she had been pampering herself, and it wasn’t fair. Like it or not, Eli was going to have to do some soul-searching during this camp session.

Although she felt so distressed, she turned to Nozomi and gave her a faint smile, anyway. That girl didn’t say anything, but kept rowing. The plan was for Eli to row on the way back, so she unpacked their breakfast. She admitted to Nozomi that she really was grateful to Nico, Maki, and the middle-schoolers for the drinks, and that they would make the breakfast very special. And that the sunrise was, indeed, breathtaking.

All the girls, even the third-years, had classes all day. They were all goal-oriented, so they worked very hard to excel at them. Between classes, they compared notes. When Nico talked to Nozomi, however, she told her, in between yawns, that Eli had simply enjoyed their outing that day, They had held hands briefly - Nozomi instigating, of course — to look at the sun starting to rise before getting in the boat, true. And Eli had taken Nozomi’s hand to let her out of the boat. But she’d only held it long enough to be polite. The chances that they’d make significant girlfriend progress in the next two days, Nozomi said, weren’t very great. Of course, they certainly hadn’t regressed, either.

The only good news was reported to Nico and Maki in their tent that night by Honoka. It was an unspoken rule that people could visit them before 7 pm if they announced themselves outside first. She said Tsubasa and her friends had heard about Eli and Nozomi’s romantic row boat trip, and observed them during the day, and they agreed Nozomi should be making more progress.

“Anju and Erena are both up for it,” Honoka summarized.

* * *

 

Eli had to admit that Maki’s suggestion had been a good one. She had never enjoyed camp as much as she was this final trip. And making specific, scheduled time to do fun things with Nozomi was the reason. She did feel a little anxious, and was having some self-doubt, certainly.

Today’s stage activity was going to involve a lot more work, she decided. Most of the girls in her loose network were taking performance-only classes, but she had an ongoing learning position as a stage manager. When the camp’s stage managers had time, they’d critique her performance or offer suggestions, but a lot of the time, she was on her own. She knew she had a reputation, much like Nico’s, as a reliable camp mainstay. She’d even been told directly that the camp would be diminished when her generation stopped going to it.

It wasn’t a very expensive camp at all, the instructors were very warm and helpful, and the Kyoto area was superbly beautiful, so it was no surprise all of them had been going to it steadily. In fact, if she recalled correctly, Nico had been earning money for her first trip to the camp as a middle-school third-year when she met Maki.

Those two made her really question herself. Maki had had a lover since she was literally a child. She and Nico spoke about each other the way Eli’s parents talked about each other, or at least the way she thought they’d talked about each other when they were first married. Eli couldn’t deny how happy they were, or how matter-of-fact they were about it. Like “We love each other! So what? Take it or leave it!”

It was definitely a bit romantic.

She knew Nozomi would have more fun here without her than she would without Nozomi. The other girl was far, far more social. For instance, she was so close to one of the first years, Sakamaki Chizuko, who was sort of a mini-Nozomi, with large breasts, hair tinted purple, and a flirty manner, that outsiders thought they were sisters. Chizuko had embarrassed Eli greatly by promising she wasn’t trying to “steal Nozomi-nee” from Eli.

At the time Eli had been a bit offended. Thinking back on it now, was it 100% unnecessary? How would she feel if …  no, when … Nozomi gave up on her — let’s stop lying to ourselves that Nozomi wasn’t interested, at least — and finally got a girlfriend for real? Wish her well, of course. Didn’t she, like Chizuko, consider Nozomi almost like a sister? She supposed she was selfish enough that she’d be sad she couldn’t monopolize Nozomi’s time like she could now. Yeah, that really was selfish, though it couldn’t be helped.

But what about her and Nozomi? She tried to imagine them doing some of the things she’d heard via Nozomi that Maki and Nico had done. Even having sex, not to facilitate a marriage, not to have a family, but just for its own sake? For fun? Eli had vague ideas how two girls would have sex, but didn’t like imagining it in too much detail. Would Nozomi want Eli to focus on her breasts? Were they sensitive? Would Eli want that? Unconsciously, she caressed one of her nipples through her t-shirt, which shocked her out of her reverie. Well, whether hers were sensitive or not, this whole line of thinking was making Eli so anxious she couldn’t stand it. _Sorry, Nozomi_ , she thought. This camping session, too, wasn’t going to resolve anything.

Today’s event with Nozomi wasn’t, technically, at the camp site. They both had a long lunch break scheduled, and Eli wasn’t required to do any stage work then. They were going to borrow two camp bicycles and bike to a ramen shop a few miles away from the camp for lunch.

When she went to get Nozomi, she was with Yuuki Anju. That girl was very touchy anyway, but Eli thought the way she kept her arm around Nozomi, and her head close to hers as they talked, really was a bit much. She was approaching Nozomi from behind, so she heard Anju mention that they’d had breakfast together. She realized Nozomi was, as she said, very social, but had they been together all morning? Apparently so. It turned out Nozomi and Anju had the same classes in the morning, so they’d gone from breakfast to their first class, and Anju had walked Nozomi to their second class. If the way she was standing now was any sign, in fact, they’d probably been arm in arm.

Anju looked Eli in the eye, and then she even leaned in to Nozomi for a second. Then she said, “Oh, Ayase-san!” in a friendly voice Eli couldn’t help feel was a little false.

Eli, of course, preserved decorum. Much as Nozomi had done when she talked about their music date — no, not a date, why would she call it that in her head? - Eli simply said she’d rented the bikes and it was time they got them and started out. Nozomi gave Anju a little hug and told her she had to take her leave. Anju made a cute pout about that that Eli couldn’t help but find extremely annoying, but none of that showed on her face. She turned around to head for the bikes, and she heard Nozomi catch up to her. For reasons she wasn’t thinking about, she took Nozomi’s hand, and that’s how they walked to the bike area.

* * *

 

“Ah ha ha ha!” Anju said. And she wasn’t laughing theatrically, either. “Honoka-chan, if I do this again, I want you to pay for health insurance! No, maybe I mean life insurance!”

“Did she give you a death stare, Anju?” Erena asked, amused and curious.

“Well, for anyone but Eli-san, I would say no. But her face lost all expression, her body stiffened, and she couldn’t wait to get out of there. Better yet, she grabbed Nozomi’s hand as she walked away, and showed no signs of relinquishing it.”

“We didn’t want to resort to this, but we had no choice, Anju and Erena. You two are doing Cupid’s work for him,” Nico said. She and Maki bowed to them, and Maki said that they couldn’t properly repay them, but what did they like to drink? It turned out both girls liked mochas with caramel, and after Maki went away and brought them both back one, everyone settled back to talk about their plans in the highest of spirits.

“Not fast enough, though,” Erena observed. “Time for a real villain to arrive.” She and Anju looked at each other and smirked, and Tsubasa laughed as hard as Erena had.

* * *

 

The next, and last day, Eli was moody and thoughtful enough that she didn’t even notice that it was in a somewhat contrived way that Hoshizora Rin and Koizumi Hanayo, Kousaka Honoka and Kira Tsubasa, and even Minami Kotori and Sonoda Umi “let slip” that they were dating over the morning. The last pair confused her and disturbed her a bit. She thought of Sonoda as being quite similar to herself, including being similarly unlikely to actually start dating another girl. She was also quite disturbed by what she thought her sister was hinting about herself and Kousaka’s little sister. She had known they were close friends, but any more than that was unthinkable, wasn’t it? Could she even interfere if things had gone too far? If her little sister was being preyed on by a schoolgirl lesbian, well!

She struggled a bit, but didn’t let it interfere with her last classes or her stage preparation. In fact, she buckled down and made an extra effort not to overlook anything. A couple of the stage managers even teased her about her earnestness, but let her know it was with affection and admiration.

Her and Nozomi’s last appointment was, actually, dancing together at the final musical event. It wouldn’t be the first or second time they’d done ballroom-style dancing, and Eli was quite fond of it. Unlike with a boy, she never had to worry about her partner reading too much into it or taking advantage, and they were both graceful dancers with a good sense of rhythm, poised and well-balanced. That let them take chances that would leverage their dance training and skills, and they would often be the talk of the dance floor.

When she found Nozomi, Todo Erena had a death grip on her hand.

When she saw her, just like Anju, Erena made a fake-friendly point of greeting her effusively. But she also asked to talk to her in private, which puzzled Eli. Nozomi just smiled and nodded, signifying it was okay with her. Erena dragged Eli around the corner of the nearest tent.

“Please don’t worry about anything tonight, Eli-san. I understand that you and Nozomi are just humoring each other with dancing. Anju and I will cheerfully cut in, and you won’t even have to dance one dance with each other.”

Eli, of course, didn’t understand any of it.

“What? Why would you say that? We like dancing together!”

“Oh, I didn’t mean anything _negative_ ,” Erena assured her, “though I had no idea it was just Nozomi who was going through the motions waiting for a _real_ partner, of course. What a sweet girl she is. A lot of girls as sexy as her wouldn’t be so modest and pure. Well, of course, I can help fix that part.” With that, Erena laughed and rested her hand on Eli’s arm. When Eli couldn’t help but look a little unhappy, Erena slapped her forehead theatrically.

“Oopsie! I forgot … you Russians really hate gay people, right?” She, again theatrically, removed her hand from Eli’s arm as if it were a hot stove. “But you’re just a ‘hafu,’ right? Do you only have to kind of half-hate them? I’m glad you’re at least so tolerant of Nozomi - that shows character. She’s said you’re really accommodating, too. That’s probably why she’ll still dance with you, if at least _you’ll_ enjoy it.  It kind of makes a social point at the same time, right?”

“Oh wait,” said Erena, making another phony expression. Was there _anything_ this girl did that wasn’t theatrical to the point of exasperation? “Nozomi said you were very loyal, too. I better reassure you: none of us are trying to end your friendship or anything. And if you’re worried about this coming between Anju and I, we’ve already agreed to let the better woman win. No take-backs allowed! Anyway,” and she almost rested her hand on Eli’s arm again, but yanked it back at the last second, “I know you aren’t comfortable discussing such things, but we feel it’s criminal she’s in her _last year of high school_ and still a _virgin_.”  She looked at Eli with syrupy sympathy. “I was right, you can’t understand, can you? Well, just take it on faith, then. It’s a real shame.”

In addition to her rising anger, Eli was feeling increasingly insecure. Had Nozomi really said she didn’t like dancing with her? That she was just playing along because Eli liked it? And that’s when, for reasons she couldn’t place at all, her thoughts went to her dancing shoes fund. She had enough in it right now to not only get Alisa the finest dancing shoes she knew of in Japan, but herself a pair as well. She planned to show them to Alisa and promise to take joint dance lessons. _But … but …_ a little voice in her head was saying, _If you just buy Alisa her shoes and tell her you’re working towards your own pair and you’ll use your shoes from Russia until then?_

Near the ramen shop they’d biked to they’d seen a little jewelry and curio shop, and one of the rings had obviously really charmed Nozomi. It was a jade ring with small diamonds embedded in it, and for some reason, it was for sale at less than a third its normal price. _It would leave enough to still buy Alisa her shoes, you know?_ the strange voice said.

When they got back to Nozomi, Erena rushed to her side and took her arm. She even pushed into her and looked at Eli in a self-satisfied way.

Nozomi, of course, would have to have been blind and deaf not to know what was going on. While she felt sorry for Eli, she reflected that she’d done a great deal of suffering over the years for the other girl’s sake. Perhaps that only made things more precious once they worked out. So she played along.

Meanwhile, the feeling that Nozomi didn’t want to dance with her, that she was getting at least one girlfriend, right now, that she was losing her in every way, that she was inadequate as a girl in her eyes … all of it had built up to the point that Eli couldn’t take it any more.

“I … “ Eli almost couldn’t finish a sentence “I have something I have to do!” she said, a little loudly. And with that, she ran off to the bike area.

* * *

 

When the time for dancing came around, Nozomi found herself reassuring a very upset Eli.

“Ah, no, those girls got the wrong idea, I think. They just think it’s weird if two girls dance together a lot but don’t date, is all,” she found herself saying to Eli’s shoulder as she gave her a firm hug.

Eli had come to her, clearly fighting tears, and told her if she didn’t want to dance with her, she understood completely, and she’d be just fine doing something else. Since that didn’t fit at all with Nozomi’s plans, she’d demanded Eli explain what was going on. Once she understood her, she set the distraught girl straight.

“Elicchi, look at me,” she ordered. After a pause, Eli did. The tears were actually in the corner of her eyes by now. It was lucky she hadn’t noticed. “Could I dance with you like I do and not enjoy it? Who’s better than you here? Those girls aren’t bad, but you and I are by far the top dancers here. Please, please, I’m begging here, Elicchi. Don’t make me dance with someone not at your level. I’m spoiled, and it just wouldn’t be fun at all. As for accommodating someone? I will let them cut in one time, each, and that’s it. Any further entreaties will be met with a smile and a head-shake. Is that all right with you?” Eli nodded. “Then let’s show them what we’re made of until the music ends! This is our _last dance_ here, Eli! _Ever_! I have no idea what you’ve been telling yourself, but stop doing it!”

That’s exactly how it went. Not only were all eyes on the two as they danced until the very last song, not really pausing for a break and being supplied with water by their friends, but their dancing was the best it had ever been. They were both determined to reassure each other, and themselves, and show the world how well-matched they were on the dance floor. None of the first years had ever seen Nozomi and Eli dance before, so they were emitting a chorus of oohs and ahhs. The camp musicians, fellow high-schoolers, made sure the last song was a slow dance.

As Nozomi looked into Eli’s eyes, she felt hope she’d been suppressing welling up in her. She still held it in check, but she chose to also enjoy the feeling. Eli insisted on dragging her to her tent, saying she had something there for her.

When they got to Eli’s tent, there was a little square jewelry box. The wild thought that only passed through Nozomi’s head for a second or two -- turned out to be correct. Eli got down on one knee and opened the box.

 

 

> “Ummmm I know … this is sudden … and I haven’t been … I mean … I know … I don’t … I don’t want Nozomi to be anyone else’s … and … I don’t want that at all … and I don’t … I don’t know when that would ever be good, so … it doesn’t have to be right away … and it’ll be so hard telling my family but don’t worry I will do all that so you don’t have to deal with anything weird … did I say it doesn’t have to be right away I did right … I’m so sorry about everything! Please say you’ll marry me and wear this so no one steals you from me because I couldn’t bear it, ever, please? I’ll do anything you want, because I can’t live without you Nozomi, please, please don’t leave me, please? Please don’t leave me! I’m so sorry! I’m so sorry! I hope it’s not too late, I hope you still love me. If you want to get married soon, it’s fine, too. I’ll do whatever Nozomi wants!”

She was really crying without any restraint at this point. Nozomi wanted to simply agree — after all this was probably her most cherished lifelong fantasy — and hold Eli and tell her everything was okay.

Instead, she took the ring, but she pulled Eli to her feet and made her sit on her cot. Then she sat next to her, and slid over so she was pressed into her best friend. She still had the ring in her hand, but with her free hand she took both of Eli’s.

“Eli,” she said, as lovingly as she could. “If you’ll really do whatever I want?”

Eli nodded, though with fear clouding her features. The dam had definitely burst, and she was feeling a lot of the emotions Nozomi had had to deal with over the course of months and years, all at once.

“Then what I want is for you to listen to me. Listen fully to what my answer is. And I think that will be very, very, very, very hard, Elicchi. The easy way is to just hear a few words and then lose your composure and stop listening. But I have a lot to say, and this is the only time for it. So, humbly, that’s my sole request. That Eli listens, and doesn’t just fly off the handle. Will you do that for me, my dearest Elicchi?” She looked a little bewildered, but nodded.

“Okay.” With that, Nozomi squared her shoulders. “First, I like this ring,” she said, and with that she put it back in Eli’s hand and closed her fingers over it, making that girl start to weep in earnest again.

“Ah, ah ah!” Nozomi said. “That’s just exactly what Elicchi promised not to do. Are you breaking your promise, or are you listening to me?”

“Li-listening,” Eli said, tearfully.

“What I was saying is, I think even if we had been looking all over Akihabara or beyond, all weekend, we wouldn’t have found such a nice ring, and that you found it on sale next to our ramen shop is in my opinion a very good omen. I am not ashamed that I believe in them, it’s part and parcel of who I am.”

“So, Elicchi, the first thing I want to say is, please put the ring back in its box and please take care of it and don’t lose it, because it’s already very precious to me. Is that fine with you?”

Eli nodded, and Nozomi thought she was starting to recover herself, if only a bit.

“The second thing is, a panicky marriage proposal from a girl who isn’t even sure in her heart if it’s okay for two girls to be a couple? I don’t want that at all. So my answer to your question, it’s a firm no.”

“But what’s much, much worse, Elicchi, is that you want to cheat me out of my due as a girl.”

She stood up and grabbed Eli’s hand and pulled on it. Not wanting to have her arm pulled, Eli stood up, too.

“You know, Eli, having you on one knee? That’s a good look for you.”

Eli was too exhausted and emotionally drained to argue or resist. She went back on one knee.

“I also liked the part where you apologized. You’ll never know how many nights I was crying over you. Oh, wait. Yes, you will.”

She went over to her suitcase, saying, “Stay there!” to Eli. She got what looked like an old-fashioned diary out and handed it down to her.

“Open it up, I think it’s filled out past the middle, so that’s a good place to start.”

Eli did as she was told. She noticed it was usually a couple of days’ entries per page.

“Why don’t you look for your name, Elicchi? I think that will show you something.” It did.

Virtually not a single day went by without Nozomi mentioning her. Many, many entries were solely about her. On the whole, it might as well be called Nozomi’s Eli Diary. It was all very sobering.

The number of sad, hopeless entries lately tore at Eli’s heart strings. She realized she probably could guess how many nights Nozomi had cried over her, she just didn’t want to.

“While you’re down there, and it’s still a good look for Elicchi, why don’t you give me something to write about tonight?”

“Nozomi …” Eli said.

“Yes, Elicchi?”

“I … I like you!”

“You do? Ah, that’s very nice.”

“Please … go out with me.”

“Ah, what should I say?” Nozomi asked. “Well, who could turn down such a nice confession? Heart-pounding, it is, even.”

She lifted Eli to her feet. “I want everything I’ve been denied for so long, I’ll have you know, Elicchi!” She looked at her friend sternly. “When we go for parfaits, I want a soda with a couple’s straw. When we have to be apart, I want postcards from you showing where you are, and I want to send cards from me showing where I am. I want more sunrises, and more sunsets. I want to meet your family — you can just tell them I’m your closest friend, for starters. I want you to meet my family too. I don’t get along with them all that well, but they won’t make a fuss because you’re a girl, I told them I was like that years ago. If you can avoid it, I don’t want you acting like I’m some shameful secret. I also want us to not lose what we’ve built up over the years. I want us to be the same, but girlfriends. We can go pretty slow with the sexual part of our relationship, but we had better actually be going somewhere, or your fears will come true, because I’m only human. And you can ask that question again when you feel like we’re both truly ready for you to ask it. Deal?”

Eli, who never stuttered, did so. “D-deal.” She was finally smiling through her tears.

And then, finally — _finally_ \- Toujou Nozomi and Ayase Eli kissed. And the world stopped holding its breath.

* * *

That afternoon, when the tents were put away and the campers had had a short farewell ceremony, and most of them were gathered by a big tent with snacks where they would be waiting for their transportation, Nico and Maki were sitting on the floor next to their gear. They saw, relieved but surprised, the sight of Nozomi and Eli arriving hand in hand.

"Oh, thank …' Maki began, grinning broadly, if tiredly. 

"Thank Heaven!" Nico finished. 

And with that, they both collapsed. 

"Geez, you two," Eli said, mock-petulantly. You should leave the theatrics to Anju and Erena!"

"Heyyy!" those two said, theatrically.

However, Cocoro was poking her sister while they were joking around. "Ummm, I think they're really passed out, for real."

When the bus came for them, a couple of hours later, Nozomi and Eli helped Cocoro, Hanayo and Rin get the two sleeping girls on board and seated in the back. As Nozomi said, with her trademark grin, it was "the least we can do for our fallen heroes."

After Eli and Nozomi had found a seat together, Eli came back and bent over the two sleeping forms cuddled together.

 _Thank you so, so much,_ she whispered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Coincidentally, when I was writing this I took a break and met a really charming artist couple from Nagasaki. The husband was a batik artist and his wife did very artistic embroidery, and they were only in town for one day.
> 
> Talking with them in Japanese reminded me of all the family concepts I wanted to think about. Their son was with them, doing _shodou_ and he was a very sweet, well-behaved boy. He even corrected a mistake I made politely. The encounter only made me more determined to get caught up on this challenge.
> 
> Future installments will go back to being much shorter. I'm starting to figure out how long it will take me to tell what story, so that will limit my choices going forward. Nonetheless, I am extremely pleased with how this one turned out. Maki is probably far too sexually frank, but I assigned her and Nico that part of the romance picture this time. Nozomi and Eri got to do the painful dance before they get together part, and the other girls - well, they got to be helpful side-couples. Side-couples were on sale, this time, so I bought a few extra.


	10. Recruiting Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> AU Yeah August 10: Secret Agent
> 
> School idol Yazawa Nico is already overwhelmed and underprepared for her demanding high school life. And that's before she met that creepy girl in Akihabara who wouldn't leave her alone. Is having a normal life as the top idol in the universe really so much to ask?

**_Stop thinking about it._ **

Of course, you had to think about it to think about not thinking about it.

This was her stop. Too much brooding made her have to scuttle off. It was a hot day in Akihabara, but pretty soon, as she got closer to Nishikino Hospital, it would be shady.

_Don't they get what we're achieving here?_

**_Stop thinking about it! And no. Or they do but they don't want to use up all their free time making you a top idol._ **

It would do no good now, but she checked, and yes, she had Cotarou's dessert and Cocoro's old phone for him to play games on.

_But it's so fun!_

She had always thought there was some kind of feeling of a university research hospital about this place. But it had been good to their family over the years. They all trusted it now, unlike when her father had died here.

 _ **It**_ was _ **fun until you started having a show a week. Then it became an ordeal.**_

She had to wait for a couple in front of her, so she jotted a note in her pad.

"Takamatsu Fabrics is 7 pm today, right?" she asked herself, not loudly, of course.

_**Fifteen is a little young to be doing that.** _

"Yazawa Coutarou's Room, please" she heard herself saying. She was automatically showing her identification card. 

_Wow. My brooding's starting to put me on autopilot here._

It couldn't be helped. The more success their group had, the more the other two wanted out. What could be more frustrating?

**_I won't even say stop thinking about it, you're a lost cause._ **

It was touching how much Cotarou had missed her. He was being very brave, so Nico had to keep her composure, too. He was so happy to see Nico's rice pudding and the phone he could play games on, too.

They visited for a half hour, but Cotarou started to get sleepy. Nico pondered how she, Cocoro and their mother could take turns helping him convalesce as his broken leg healed. It would be hard. She'd have to cut and sew at home on her personal machine, which wasn't as good or fast. And drag it in to the main room to keep him company.

It beat being all by herself in the club room, she supposed.

 ** _Bam! Well, good for you making it 40 minutes. Perhaps there's a ray of hope_**.

_Does everybody have self-accusatory voices that are this clear?_

On the way out she noticed, as she often did, that the spare elevator was still out of service. Even though she'd never seen it be in service, it didn't look old or neglected.

She had asked the receptionist about it once as a child and her memory of that was somewhat jumbled. The receptionist had said there was no spare elevator, and when Nico had looked, it had been gone. Obviously, she was misremembering, but somehow she'd never got her courage up to ask again.

She put her pass in again as she got off at the stop for the shopping area Takamatsu's was in. The intersection here was a big one, and you had to watch it carefully. 

Somehow, across the intersection, she picked out an unusual figure. A red-headed girl was staring at her. She didn't know why, but she was sure.

 _ **And you're staring at**_ her _ **. So go ahead, call her creepy, weird, crazy. It's only fair. She's thinking the same about you unless you can STOP STARING AT HER, IDIOT!**_

It was hard not to, given that same girl suddenly pulled out a device — it looked like a meter of some sort but was probably a camera — and pointed it at her. Nico had started crossing, so she was able to see a creepy smile on the girl's face.

 _I'm not creepy,_ she's _creepy! Look what she's doing!_

**_Look where you're going!_ **

Nico concentrated on crossing. She only had to go right once to see the familiar doors of Takamatsu's ahead. Albeit under glass, every fabric they had was on display on the front of the shop. Nico had sometimes watched them changing out the fabric. Everything was attached to the backing board, so they could power-wash all the dust off at once. She saw a middle schooler going in that she thought she'd recognized, a girl who bleached her hair a kind of blonde-grey and seemed to be as in love with fabrics as Nico was. She wished she had real friends, and especially friends who she could talk about things like fabric with.

_***Sniff*, *sniff*. Well, this is probably better than staring at strange girls.** _

_Uh,_  she _was staring at_ me _. All I was doing was staring back to figure out why._

She was just speculating on where the girl could be when she grabbed Nico's arm and tugged her towards a spot under the stairs.

"Yazawa Nico."

_Okay. Weird weird weird weird._

"I know about your current problems. Would you like to stop worrying about them?"

_Weird weird weird weird._

Creepy and ethereal though she was, she was also almost perfectly beautiful. This whole encounter felt unreal.

"I am pretty. And if you kiss me, right now, you'll be lucky. If you don't, you won't."

_Weird weird weird weird. That one was like she read my mind._

**_Or your, you know, stare._ **

"Ageha. Mimi. Rin. Yuzu. Names you recognize. You've been promising them something extraordinary. Sometimes, you even almost deliver."

_She's more than weird, she's scary._

"Kiss me, Yazawa Nico, then see how it goes. I think the next time we meet you'll have a much nicer opinion of me than that"

She was beautiful, but Nico had never kissed anyone. It was such an outrageous request.

"Kissy, Kissy, Nico! What do you have to lose? Your current house of cards? Your hand's shaking, too,"

_**She's right, sadly.** _

_She_ is _right._

Nico shrugged. "You're right," she said. She leaned forward, resigned.

The girl didn't move to meet her, but spread her arms for an embrace and beckoned her forward with her fingers.

Their kiss struck Nico like a thunderclap. Her legs trembled so much she was almost leaning on the girl, who gripped her tightly. She licked Nico's lips and bit her lower lip, and then her tongue went in Nico's mouth. She pushed their bodies together, even lowering her hand to grab Nico's butt and pull her into her more tightly. When they finally broke, Nico was gasping for air.

"You've made the right choice, Nico," the girl said. She caressed the side of Nico's face and kissed her again, then turned around and walked away without looking back.

_**I'm proud of you.** _

_I'm ... proud of myself now?_

_**Yeah. Best first kiss ever.** _

* * *

Maki didnt think she had to put up with Kouanchousa-chou people, aggressively shadowing the Nishikino heir, this particular morning. Because, luckily, there must be something going on now that Naichou was involved in. She marched over in the direction of the typically well-dressed Naichou man reading the paper. The Nishikinos were old-fashioned, so Maki always kept some mail on her person that wasn't time-sensitive to mail when she needed a pretext. It probably wasn't by accident that he was sitting not all that far from the only public mailbox around.

The Kouanchousa pair probably had no wish to have Naichou complain about them. They'd just been bullying Maki, anyway, so they sheared off. Sure, the government would give a lot to know about Nishikino Hospital, but it wasn't like Maki was a Yakuza or something. And they had a track record of recruiting people for Naichou that had helped turn them into something foreign intelligence agencies respected and worked alongside.

She was grateful to Naichou because she wouldn't have to screw around all morning avoiding going to the hospital now.

"Takamatsu Fabrics is 7 pm, isn't it?" she heard a short, cute girl ahead of her muttering to herself. It was almost background noise. Her stance and expressions didn't signal any threat.

Yesterday, Maki had felt a strong pull, but the meter showed only a weak target. It turned out to be a boy with a broken leg.

"Yazawa Cotarou?" she heard.

Yeah, actually, that was him. Wait, that meant the person ahead of her ...  but her meter wasn't working inside when she surreptitiously pulled it out. They were probably sweeping the hospital for intrusions again. But they couldn't disable her pull, so Maki closed her eyes. The pull was really strong. Thinking about it, she had a lead for a place and a time. She didn't even wait to talk to the receptionist, just turned and left. That woman would understand.

Maki pre-ordered ramen at her favorite shop, which was near the fabric store. While she waited, she pulled up the medical records for the girl and her family on her phone, then all her school records. The girl's blog about her idol group, too. One of the comments posted on the entry for their last show was that they seemed to be very tense with each other. A racehorse pulling with two mules wasn't a recipe for harmony, she decided, looking at videos of their performances.

She finished her ramen quickly after she felt the first stirring of a pull. In a way, she left a tip like a Westerner would. The owner ran the largest Paranormal Society in Japan, and she would chat him up for tidbits she could pass on to the government's Paranormal Division to give them a feel for what the amateurs were involved in. In return, she wrote her own tidbits from the Division to give the Society a leg up on competing groups. Everyone, including herself, was amused by her tips being actual tips.

She saw the girl get off at the regular stop and head towards her. From her stance and expressions, she would say she didn't have a boyfriend. In fact, she might not even have any friends. It wasn't just her training and abilities that made Maki recognize loneliness when she saw it. She also saw fatigue, stress, desperation, and a little fear. Maki smiled.

After the girl crossed,  Maki pulled her aside. Might as well start with as much of the truth as she could handle. The lies could start somewhere down the line.

When, for the first time, she did what she had been, face it, born to do, it was the greatest feeling on Earth. She had to remember to give the girl a chance to breathe. Unfortunately, any more physical involvement would be for her pleasure, and that wasn't her job. Not here, and not now, anyway.

* * *

Nico wondered, idly, what being "lucky" would involve. At this point, maybe just keeping it together enough for one more live? The worst part of that would be they wouldn't go out with a bang, but a whimper. A mediocre performance for people to remember them by, and hard feelings all around.

_**This is probably how Icarus felt.** _

_Icarus would have made a crap idol._

She deliberately took the feeling she had had kissing Miss Creepy But Oh So Hot and projected it out when she arrived and they began practicing. She wasn't going to look for things to get upset over, but the opposite. She was full of sincere compliments, and she felt like she had made a breakthrough in her ability to make fine observations of the other two.

It paid off, too. Not only did they all have fun for the first time in weeks, but when they looked at themselves on video afterwards - well, they'd been perfect. Synchronizing like they were reading each other's minds, pushing the envelope of their abilities on every move. Never falling out of rhythm by even a split second. Nico hugged both of them and smiled - a real, genuine smile they hadn't seen in ages, especially when they weren't even on stage.

"Listen, Mimi, Ageha. I told you I would probably cancel the one that would make it hard for Ageha because of the timing with her trip, right? But I also cancelled two others. So we have weeks to prepare before each of the two that are left, and we can schedule to fit you in. Lucky I did that, because the next day Cotarou broke his leg. I hope that makes up for the way I've been pushing you. I know it's been a lot more than you signed up for, and that's my fault. Are we all okay?"

Still mesmerized by the video, they assured her that they were. It wasn't just the feeling, almost like telepathy, as they coordinated their movements. It wasn't the way the music had gripped them and moved them physically where they needed to be. It wasn't just that they'd been perfect. It was that Nico had been more than perfect. It was like watching a wood spirit dance in a fairy tale. Just being part of it felt downright magical. And Nico hadn't been this kind since their first two weeks together. They didn't have to ask each other if they were shelving their plans to quit.

"The big deal here is, did we want five so-so shows, and then we disappear and no one ever thinks of us again, or do we wow them with two unforgettable shows, and everyone says, what are they doing now?"

As Nico asked that, she spontaneously hugged them both again.

"Nico-chan, do you have a boyfriend or something? You seem really up today," Mimi asked, puzzled.

Nico laughed and assured them she had no such thing. Ageha, who was more intuitive, took a risk and said, "Well, Nico-chan, that does leave another possibility nowadays. Is it possible you've acquired a _girlfriend_ instead?"

_What???_

**_Nothing's wrong with your hearing, is it?_ **

She looked at Ageha, thinking of the girl at the shopping center. "God, I hope not!" she said.

* * *

It was Maki's first report, so she approached it carefully and thoroughly.

Their top priority had to be defending the target, since right now, any criminal or agent could simply kill Nico and stop everything in its tracks and set them back years until they found someone as good. Her parents had decided that in the near term, Maki would be Nico's love interest and her trainer, and her bodyguard until she could fend for herself.  To that effect, they had changed Maki's listed age to fifteen, and were moving her into Nico's high school as a transfer student from a fictitious cut-out school in Kyuushuu.

Holding back secrets caused vulnerabilities. She noted in the report that she was setting out to enjoy herself the whole way.

The target was several standard deviations out over their minimal requirements. Nico's profile had gotten her on a short list already. The performer types, the narcissists, the hysterics - actors, singers, idols - usually made the best agents. The line between their everyday mental architecture and a system of multiple personalities was usually a thin one. When you combined it with the kind of "extra" potential Yazawa Nico had, not even the sky was the limit. And there was no point forgetting that Maki herself had been planned years before she was born to be the perfect complement to someone off-the-charts like Nico.

She recommended Nico be allowed to keep the other four girls. The idol firm that was Naichou's toehold in the entertainment industry could try to recruit them, but that wasn't a matter for the hospital to concern itself with, she added. She just wanted Nico kept relatively sane as long as they could.

 _Nico,_ she thought to herself, _You are definitely going to be the #1 **something** in this particular universe_.

* * *

 

As Nico was passing by the home room for one of the other first-year classes, she heard a voice she recognized, but couldn't place, saying "Greetings!". She paused long enough to hear "Transfer student Nishikino Maki. I like to play piano and sing. I help out at my parents' hospital and --" As Nico heard that, the red-haired girl at the front of the class stared pointedly at the almost closed door where Nico was peering in -- "I really like the other girls at Otonokizaka already. Please take care of me!" and bowed.

_**Shudder.** _

_Shudder._

 

 

 


	11. Intake

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> AU Yeah! August 11: Mermaid
> 
> Maki was simply receiving patients in the A&E to help her parent's hospital. 
> 
> "Expect the unexpected," they say. But if you could do that, it wouldn't be the unexpected, now, would it?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Because I lined out and wrote up part of most of the AU Yeah! August prompts before becoming too busy in mid-August, I decided to finish up at least the ones I started. This is my first time doing this type of story series, even though I took up fan writing for writing practice two years ago.

 

**Receiving in A & E**

As an old-fashioned hospital, the owners of Nishikino liked to have their daughter, and sole heir, Maki involved while she was still in secondary school. This weekend, she was helping with Receiving in A & E. Her mother, Nishikino Kikuko, had run her through their normal training before leaving her on her own. The very last thing she'd said to Maki was never to forget to protect the patients' privacy.

 _ **Confidentiality**_ was emphasized so much, Maki wouldn't have been completely surprised to see a bunch of tattooed patients coming in overnight with stabbing or shooting wounds.

Of course, in reality, it was the usual — young people injured in mishaps or fights, middle-aged people with chest pains, and so on.

Maki wasn't even looking at the latest one, just at what she was writing down as she listened to the ambulance medical staff. But as she realized this was an unusual case, she looked up.

Although the girl was found naked, according to the staff, Maki noticed her wearing two beautiful engraved bracelets that appeared to be made of gold, like a wedding ring. It made her almost think of something that she couldn’t quite recall. It would probably nag at her that night.

The little girl’s skin had tears all over the part of her upper body not covered by a sheet. _What could do that?_ she wondered. It was as if she’d been hit with a barbed whip. The crew said they’d had to resuscitate and defibrillate her. Her heartbeat was very rapid but weak.

It wasn’t Maki’s function to speculate, though. She processed the patient’s forms quickly and accurately, and was ready for another ambulance that had come in behind the first.

* * *

**Choosing a Career**

Taka Shou had figured it out. Japan’s so-called meritocracy was a joke. Not only couldn’t he get into a desirable school, but once he finished where he’d ended up, and became a trainee, he already saw very few worthwhile hospitals that would accept him, and that meant fewer worthwhile opportunities once he was a doctor.

And now he was reading an article saying the Nishikino brat, all of five years old, had a pre-arranged place waiting at their family’s prestigious hospital. A place he’d never be able to work at no matter how well he did going forward.

He kind of liked the tone of the article, to be honest. It felt like the writer was raising one eyebrow at the doings of the upper crust. Unlike medicine, tabloid journalism was a true meritocracy. No one helped you or pushed you down. You wrote what you want, and if it sold, you were prosperous.

He had been pondering quitting for a month now. It would be painful to let his time and money go to waste, after all. But to test the waters, he nonetheless contacted the same place he’d read the article.

The author of the piece in question eventually talked to Shou. It turned out he was retiring and had at one point been a private physician. He was leveraging his medical knowledge to help other reporters with exposes of hospitals and pharmacies. He recommended Shou finish his school and training, and meanwhile, do occasional articles under another name for the paper. When he told Shou what he was getting paid, he whistled. It was about as good as he’d expect to make as a doctor. Hopefully, for much less work. And you didn’t have to kowtow to anyone.

* * *

**Pearl Diving**

Maki was a little young to enjoy traveling to Europe, but she did like the weather in Greece, so far. They were watching pearl divers right now. It was a family — a mother and two of her daughters. Maki had been shocked to see that two other children, little more than toddlers, were tethered by one ankle to a post near where the pearls and money were kept. The woman was somehow very pretty, as, so Maki decided,  were her daughters. The eldest daughter seemed to be about Maki’s age, or a little younger, but was already working all day, earning her family’s keep. Her younger sister didn’t dive as often as the girl or her mother, but was still impressive.

All three females stared back at Maki after a while, very directly, and smiled. Maki was embarrassed, for some reason. She had been staring at them because they were all so pretty, after all. Also fascinating were the two gold bracelets each of them wore, even the two littlest by the post.

After a while, they swam in and the mother untethered the two youngest children. When their sisters called out to them, still in the warm ocean waters, Maki found that they swam like fish. This afternoon and their happy laughter remained Maki’s main memory of Greece after they left. The eldest daughter looked over again at Maki and yelledsomething that sounded exactly like the word for “cute” in Japanese. Her mother looked at Maki then, too, and laughed and nodded.

* * *

**Mermaid Confidential**

Maki couldn’t help it, the second she got a break, she went by where the girl had been taken. As she got closer, she heard an alarm beeping. Since the hospital only had serious alarms, to avoid alarm fatigue on the part of the staff, she ran into the room. No one else was around, and she started to try to stabilize the patient, who didn’t respond to her efforts. Any minute — no, any second …

“Maki! Step away, we’re going to sedate her into a coma and move her to the lab room!”

It was her mother, and her father was in the doorway. She titrated a powerful sedative into the girl’s intravenous feed. She seemed dead, to Maki’s eyes. She was ordered to help her parents carry the girl’s limp, nude body all the way down the hall and then down another to the left, into an elevator. They went all the way to the basement, then her father entered a password into a box on a small door at the end of another hall.

The lab room looked like something out of a horror movie or, being gracious, an old science fiction film.

Shockingly, they deposited the girl over the railing into a shallow tank with an aerator. It didn’t submerge her face entirely, but nearly. Needless to say, none of this had anything in common with anything Maki had been trained to think of as medical procedure. Despite what her mother had said about an induced coma, the girl was responding feebly. It must have been salt water, because it appeared to be aggravating the lacerations on her upper body.

“Oh, good,” her father said, speaking for the first time. “Maki, go look her over.”

Maki was really starting to feel like maybe she was simply dreaming all this. Nonetheless, on the off chance that she wasn’t, she automatically obeyed. As she bent over the rails of the tank, the girl’s eyes flew open. They were hypnotic — there was no other word for it.

She sat up suddenly, grabbed Maki’s shoulders so firmly she bruised them, and brought her lips to Maki’s.

As Maki tasted salt-water, she felt herself becoming drowsy. The girl didn’t release her for a while. Then, just when Maki was on the verge of teetering over and passing out, a sharp pain in her arm woke her up. The girl had sunk her jagged teeth into Maki’s bicep and was frantically licking the blood that oozed out off her arm!

Maki was frozen in horror, but as further proof that she was drugged or dreaming, the girl seemed to be turning into a fish. Her mother started a pump going and the water rose a bit. The girl stopped licking Maki’s blood, stared deeply into her eyes, licked her lips, then submerged herself and laid still underwater. Her lower body was now covered with scales and her legs had merged into a fish’s tail.

Her mother disinfected Maki’s arm and bound it, quickly. “Sorry about that, dear. I think she likes you!”

“What IS she, mother? Father?”

“Well, she’s not human like you or we are, Maki. She kisses to release toxins, and she drinks blood to heal. Her saliva is what made you sleepy. Which you have no time to be. We’re both going to be very busy keeping her alive. You need to find her bracelets.”

Her father handed her a ring of keys and a taser. “Work fast, as fast as possible. You’ve been around the A&E the most, recently. Who would do this, rob a dying patient?”

* * *

**Nishikino Maki, Girl Detective**

Maki had no time to over-think anything. If the culprit wasn’t Taka Shou, her least favorite person at the hospital, the girl was probably doomed. But even if it was, making a scene wouldn’t work. And if it wasn’t, the furor it would cause would delay her even more. Still, it couldn’t be helped. She had a universal locker key and she dashed over to the locker room and ransacked his locker. All she found that was suspicious was a flash drive. She ran to the spare office she used when she was tasked with helping with paperwork. The computer there was always on, so she shoved the drive in and opened it up.

Well, well.

The most recently opened document began “Girl Dies in Freakish Experiment at Mysterious Nishikino Mad Doctor Lair.” Given that she hadn’t, in fact, died yet, the story was a little premature. Maki had always detested Shou, who was whiny and lazy and chased after the other interns. But today she forgave that part: a bunch would be hitting the break room now, so she could probably find him there.

He was leaning against the door and harassing the smallest and prettiest intern. Bingo. Maki had no time to reason with him, anyway. She jammed the taser into him and gave him everything it had. As he collapsed to the ground, she stripped off his jacket and shook it. With a tinkly clank, the bracelets rolled out of a pocket.

* * *

**Endure Your Happy Ending**

“So, what is she besides being a succubus and a sea vampire?” Maki said, glaring at the tank.

It turned out the creature (Maki wouldn’t call her a girl until she was one, again) could understand Japanese, and glared right back at her.

Her parents were alternating an hour with and without the bracelets, elevating her head when she was unable to breathe water. According to them, this pattern had stabilized her condition, and would make her heal twice as fast.

“Nico is the #1 pearl diver in all of Kalymnos, the #1 cutest mermaid in the universe, and is going to be the #1 idol in Japan - for starters. Maki-grump should show respect. Just because Maki-chan is unable to smile now — don’t worry, Nico-nii will help Maki not be such a grump.”

“I thought that was sponge-diving,” Maki began, then suddenly, remembered the family in Greece. It had, sure enough, been pearls they were recovering.

“Ah ah ah!” the creature said, smirking. “You remember, right? Maki-chan was so cute visiting Kalymnos.”

She looked at Maki’s mother and shook her head theatrically. “What happened to that cute, sweet little girl, I ask you? What?”

At that, Nico faced Maki. “I’ll have you know, Miss I’m A Human Doctor Wannabe So I Know E-ver-y-thing, that if you know where and how to dive, you can still find pearls in Kalymnos, just like we’ve been doing for millennia. Pays much better than sponges.”

She informed Maki, in a more sober tone, that the family had migrated from pearl diving off the coasts of Japan to Greece after Nico’s father was killed by fishermen, which they had nearly done to Nico now that they'd returned. Japan had much meaner fisherman, but Nico was planning on giving up diving anyway.

Then she looked a little thoughtful. “Nico owes you a lot, little girl. Thank you for retrieving my bracelets. If you give us …” she paused, calculating, “.. three years, Nico can bring you your weight in pearls. Don’t go off your diet, though, that’s cheating.”

“What about my parents?” Maki wondered.

“They told Nico just having the chance to study her is reward enough. When Nico is tired and wants a break, she’ll check into Nishikino Hospital and rest, and they can observe her. Besides …”

Could whatever weird thing she was … _Okay, Maki, just admit she’s a mermaid, already_ … blush? She seemed to be.

“… when Nico kissed Maki and tasted her blood, she discovered Maki is suitable to be the mate of the #1 mermaid idol in the universe. Nico has no idea what wonderful things Maki did in a previous life to deserve this, but there you go …”

“It’s a chance to explore things no one else will get to do, Maki-chan. If I were young and single, I’d jump at the chance. Your career as a researcher is a certainty, and the things you can do to help people would be limitless. And her kind bond for life. We’ve talked with her mother, and they’re fiercely loyal. Since she bonded to you, she can’t have anyone else. And as long as she has the bracelets, you can have perfectly normal relations.”

_Perfectly ….normal?_

Then she made the mistake of meeting Nico’s eyes.

Nico grinned happily.


	12. Romance of the Kingdoms

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> AU Yeah! August 12: Royalty
> 
> Princess Maki finds herself in the garden talking to a fairy, who warns her her safe years on the Nishikino estates are coming to an end. She's already mourning her cousin Nico. Life is so unfair!

The royal garden at Nishikino Castle didn’t have a clear boundary. Descending south from Yake Mountain, the woods simply became sparser, the clearings larger. Closer to the castle, flowers, then vegetables, and a rice paddy near the large pond, became noticeable. There was no fencing, just ancient carved poles delimiting it, even there. Wildlife was free to roam in the garden, and the vegetables were protected only by netting.

It was High _Koushaku_ Nishikino Maki’s favorite place, especially when she was troubled. Of course, there was a music room in the castle, and her parents had even bought a Western musical instrument, a grand piano, in China and had it shipped to the castle at great expense. But she simply wasn’t in the mood for that.

While it was as relaxing as ever, especially by the pond, she must still have been distracted. The garden had enormous fairy rings for some reason, particularly in this part of it. However, right now a toad was sitting on one of the toadstools. Worse, it looked like it was winking at the princess.

The distressing news Maki was walking in the garden to calm herself over was that forces connected to Kira Genshin, _daimyo_ ofYuchiekusu, had invaded the Margravate of Yazawa, apparently eliminating the Yazawa family line, including her cousin, Low _Koushaku_ Kotono,mother of Maki’s cousin _Hakushaku_ Nico, and that girl and her tiny siblings. _Daimyo_ Kira had at first denied responsibility, but at the same time had claimed that the Yazawa margravate was a disputed territory between Yuchiekusu and the Nishikino kingdom of Otonokizaka.

Maki was well versed on the history of the last two centuries, and such a dispute had never come up in her studies. Then again, Genshin claimed every region he wanted in Otonokizaka, regardless of the history. Poor Nico’s father had been assassinated by Genshin’s agents when she was much younger, so it was perhaps expected that he’d finished the job eventually.

Maki had never met her cousin, who was of a similar age, but Nico’s cheery letters to Maki had touched her heart every time she got one, and Maki, not normally friendly or communicative, had faithfully replied to all of them. Her grief surprised her; she was a highly stoic princess in general.

Unfortunately, Otonokizaka was in no position to attack Yuchiekusu, so for now her father the _daimyo_ was simply gearing up for war and had sent the Yuchiekusu away. Which was a relief for Maki. Despite his perfidy, _Daimyo_ Kira had had the effrontery to continue pressuring Otonokizaka to force the princess to accept a wedding contract with his son, Gen. Who was a chip off of Genshin’s block, minus the intelligence.

But all had not gone Kira’s way. In fact, the population had destroyed everything it could and taken to the woods which covered nearly all of the margravate. The Yazawas and Nishikinos had both been beloved in the margravate, and the little contessa Nico in particular. The population was carrying out a campaign against Kira’s allies, using bandit tactics, and it had been so effective the _daimyo_ had been forced to commit his regular forces to pacifying the region. _Daimyo_ Nishikino had used his own allies to reinforce the bandit raids, so the entire region was still boiling over. The forces of the “child-killing tyrant” were so terrorized it had drained Kira’s forces, bought Otonokizaka several months time to prepare, and sent Yuchiekusu a strong message.

Hated as he was by all the neighboring kingdoms, Kira couldn’t commit fully to an invasion of Otonokizaka. He’d clearly hoped to weaken the kingdom by an easy takeover of the Yazawa region, and failed. The Marquess and her children were being well avenged. Not that that made their fate any less sad. And now, Maki was seeing things.

 **“Well met, Princess!”** And now she was hearing things. The toad changed to a tiny female, still crouching on the toadstool the way the toad had been. **“You are neither dreaming nor mad, child.”**  

Maki decided that, even if she _was_ dreaming, it didn’t hurt anything to be polite to what was clearly a _yousei_. Offending one was said to bring the worst possible luck. So, just in case, she politely asked, “What do you wish from me, fairy?”

“ **As the last of your line, as has been the tradition of your family for generations, I, Rilu, stood as godmother to you, child. As such, you are granted a wish as you come of age. It can be nearly anything, and if it is beyond my power I will tell you, never fear.”**

Maki’s thoughts went back to her cousin. In one of her letters she had declared that a fairy had talked to her and granted her a wish. Nico was very theatrical and imaginative, so Maki had ignored that as a charming fantasy. But now …

“O Yousei Rilu! I have no wish to offend you, But did my cousin Nico have such a wish? She so claimed to me once. I am puzzled, since her brother Cotarou was the heir, and none of them were the last of the line. Moreover, with such a wish at hand, why was their family unable to save themselves?”

**“As for that, princess, the wishes of others are not your affair, nor do we fairies discuss them. But I may say this much: you could ask your parents, but the truth is Kotono decided Nico was her heir, and your family agreed. The times were too uncertain to wait for the youngest child to be the heir, only because he was the only male.”**

“Ah,” Maki said. So, presumably, Nico had had an actual fairy wish. Well, considering what little she knew about her, it was still likely she’d immediately used it to make herself more popular or better at music or the arts, with which she’d been obsessed. It would be unfair to chide the fairies for that.

With that in mind, she asked the fairy if she could hold the wish against future need. The fairy told her that that showed precocious wisdom indeed. “ **As expected of Maki-hime.”**

 

* * *

 

If Nico had been the darling of the Yazawa margravate, even performing for the populace on festival occasions, Maki was just as much so for the kingdom of Otonokizaka. A beloved figure, and a symbol of what made the Nishikinos respected. As such, her parents decided to send her away from Nishikino Castle to stay with relatives near the Yazawa margravate. Or ostensibly to do so.

 

In reality, they planned to spirit Maki away before she arrived there, and have a servant impersonate her. Their real plan was to trap most of Kira’s forces in the region, either en route or besieging the relatives. As it worked out, they succeeded so well that Maki’s entourage was never seriously threatened, so Kira was led to believe that she was holed up in a more vulnerable location that he could attack later. So great were his losses when Maki was en route that he had to have his own and his allied forces withdraw from the Yazawa region and regroup, in a haphazard fashion, across the border in Yuchiekusu.

In the general confusion, they didn’t notice every retainer and servant that came back with them.

 

* * *

 

All of the children of _Hakushaku_ Kazuno adored their new tutor, Toriifure Kuro. She claimed to be the daughter of a displaced _donshaku_ , separated from her family by the fortunes of war. Some of the recent conflicts with various kingdoms including Otonokizaka had spilled back over the border into Yuchiekusu, so it wasn’t an uncommon situation for minor nobility to find itself in.Nor to have a baroness as a governess. The count was old-fashioned and had several wives. All of them appreciated Toriifure’s modesty and grace — she was an excellent role model and a credit to her upbringing. She was brilliant on koto or shakuhachi, and even an expert pianist. Extremely quiet, she nonetheless had a tender heart for children. They were the only thing that ever made her smile, and misfortune happening to children the only thing that would move her to tears.

She normally retired early, and this night was no exception. Her normal routine at the start of a week was to open the bottom of her trunk and take out one of the potions that kept her eyes colored brown, then to make sure that hair was still black from tip to root, touching it up with a little bottle of dye, also from below the apparent bottom. She didn’t have to think about her routine, which was a good thing.

Today, with the children, she’d seen a performance that her trained eyes and ears recognized as being somewhat subversive. A very unusual thing to happen here in Yuchiekusu, especially so near the ongoing Yazawa debacle.

The wandering players said they went from kingdom to kingdom, so perhaps what seemed like pointed references to the Kira _daimyo_ and his rule were passed off as undirected mockery of royalty, typical for comic actors and troubadours. Their leader was a young woman a little younger than Toriifure, very charismatic. Guuzouane was her name — it was pretentious but somehow cute.

Toriifure’s number one goal was to avoid the public eye, so when the girl seemed to focus on her, she left her expression completely blank. She even avoided her usual nervous gesture of twirling a lock of her hair. It had taken an effort to cure herself of the habit, and she was pleased to see she could still avoid it even when a performer — an intimidatingly cute one at that — was making her nervous.

In fact, out of self-preservation, the next day she had to herself, Toriifure decided to investigate the troupe. Fortunately for her, she ran into one of the younger members, himself wandering around taking in the market. She complimented their troupe on behalf of her charges, which made him blush and smile. When she innocently inquired where they’d come from, and where they would go after leaving the town they were in now, he told her in detail. It was as far as Toriifure wanted to go — after all, asking specific questions about Guuzouane would probably alarm him and draw attention to her.

Nonetheless. Somehow, the simple information made Toriifure flinch.She was missing something, she was sure of it.But when she got back to the Kazuno mansion, the place was abuzz with news that drove such thoughts out of her head.

 _Daimyo_ Kira’s heir had met with representatives of adjoining kingdoms to justify their aggression against Otonokizaka and the Yazawa line. In order to subvert the popularity of the Nishikino heir, he had claimed she, herself, was angling to bring an end to their line in any event, leaving the kingdom in chaos, inviting foreign invasion. Not only, he pointed out, had she refused honorable offers to marry into the superior Kira dynasty, but she had entertained no offers from any other kingdom. That much, the other kingdoms’ representatives were aware of. They had assumed the Nishikinos were being prudent in not committing their sole heir too early.

Not so, Gin claimed. In fact, the Nishikino heir was unnatural and unlikely to ever provide an heir. Kira family spies had observed her on more than one occasion behaving like a lover with two of the family retainers,  Rin, _Shishoku_ of Hoshizora, and Hanayo, _Shishoku_ of Koizumi. They had been known, themselves, to be unnaturally paired, he said, and the princess was of the same kind. If they wanted to save Otonokizaka or the Nishikino line, they’d all be supporting the Kiras, not questioning them. It hadn’t been that simple, of course, given how unpopular the Kiras were. But he had nonetheless sown the seeds of doubt about the Nishikino heir, from what the Kazuno family was saying. The two oldest, Sara and Leah, were very upset, as they were both “fans” of the princess and saw Gen as a legendary villain threatening her. But since they were in his kingdom, they couldn’t say so, outright. As for Toriifure, she kept her expression entirely blank, and simply changed the subject. She said she was unusually tired, and retired earlier. 

She wondered if fairy wishes could be used for something as dark as a painful, lingering death for an evil suitor. She really didn’t think it was likely.

 

* * *

 

The next morning brought news that was more welcome for Toriifure. It seemed Yuchiekusu had its own “princess problems.” Not only had Low _Koushakus_ Anju of Yuuki and Erena of Todo gone into hiding rather than face his marriage plans for them, but his own daughter, High _Koushaku_ Tsubasa was missing. Of course, _Daimyo_ Genshin claimed that the Nishikinos had done something to the girls, but no one really believed him, even in his own realm. Still, when noble girls had gone into hiding in conquered regions between Yuchiekusu and Otonokizaka, which the Minami, Sonoda, Kousaka, Toudou, Ayase, Hoshizora and Koizumi daughters had done, they were declared dead by Genshin and their estates forfeited. It was harder to do that to Yuchiekusu’s nobility without facing an internal revolt. Indeed, Tsubasa’s disappearance with her high-born friends was already endangering him so much that _Daimyo_ Genshin had withdrawn his troops from their foreign mischief to make sure he could keep order. And rumors had it that he was struggling, even there.

Something stirred Toriifure’s memory: the last time the wandering players had come through their area, the size of the troupe had more than doubled. They now named themselves, occasion to occasion, with “Ame-No-Uzume” or alternately “Muse.” The rumors were that they lived and practiced near the hot springs at Takarazuka, but no one knew for sure. All of the new arrivals were women of the same rough age — the boy she’d talked with about the troupe leader remained the only male associated with the group. And one of the new members, “Pan,” had suggested that all the members should take turns being the center of a given performance, which had served to make them more popular. Wherever they went, after all, different elements in their audience had different favorites and they enjoyed seeing them have their moment in the sun. Something about the new members was triggering a memory, but she couldn’t put her finger on it.

The content was another issue. One of their ballad skits had, in fact, involved a wicked tyrant of a _daimyo_ whose daughter fled him with her two best friends to form a _ginyuushijin_ group. And they had watched that … before Tsubasa’s disappearance. It was a miracle Genshin’s spies had not already captured and tortured them.

Princesses and contessas and barons becoming _ginyuushijin_ … seven new members of “Muse.” She wouldn’t be able to bring Sara and Leah to the troupe, she decided. What was the phrase her cousin had used signing off her letters? Well, she didn’t need to remember the whole thing.

When she arrived at the inn where the players were, she spotted Guuzouane right away. She made a point of cheering and clapping whenever she saw her, and making eye contact. Her manner of dress suggested she was a spinster governess of some sort, so having a passion for one of the performers wouldn’t be unusual at all. Guuz-nee played to her, winking and hamming it up. Torii sent her a bottle of plum wine, a bouquet of lilies, a bag of coins, and a note.

 

**. . .**

 

Guuzouane was looking forward to meeting up with her fan, who was quite attractive, if a bit severe. “What sort of love note will the number one _ginyuushijin_ in all of Japan get this time?” she cooed to herself. Then she dropped the note from her suddenly shaking fingers, but not before reading it, as it couldn’t have been shorter or more to the point:

 

**_“Nico-nico-nii!”_ **

 

* * *

 

Later, after the Yuchiekusu kingdom had tossed its _daimyo_ and his son into the deepest, darkest and slimiest dungeon in the realm, Maki could see how Muse and “Arise” — the _ginyuushijin_ troupe created by Kira Tsubasa, currently the _daimyo_ of Yuchiekusu - had traveled all over the region around Yuchiekusu spreading dissent and rallying people against Genshin. Indeed, after Maki joined, Muse had gone “on holiday” to remote Uranohoshi in Shizuoka and created a troupe of noble children led by High _Koushaku_ Mari of the Ohara family “for future generations of girls to learn initiative,” as Nico said, winking. They were in correspondence with her former students Sara and Leah, who were training themselves in music and dance, unwilling to be left in the dirt in imitating their beloved Toriifure.

Generating heirs for the Nishikinos and Yazawas had not been an issue, after all.

“I still can’t believe you didn’t use your wish, Nico!” Maki said to her grinning wife. She was wiping Emma’s face, which had rice grains in the corners of her mouth.

“Well, I was saving it. You probably thought I used it as a substitute for facial cream or something, knowing Maki-baka,” Nico said, quietly so as not to wake little Shizuku, who had finally fallen asleep in her arms.

Maki blushed and looked guilty briefly, which put a triumphant expression on Nico’s face.

“Whatever. If it had come down to life and death,” she continued, “not just exile, I would have, of course. It’s not like you can do dark things like kill Genshin with a fairy wish.”

**“Ahem.”**

They both looked up to see two fairies. They seemed to be amused, which somehow made Nico and Maki blush.

 **“You’ve both been assuming that, but we never said so,** ” one said.

 **“Of course, having a fairy do it with a spell isn’t as fun as taking it into your own hands,”** the other said. “ **Not that we’d know.”**

Actually, the second fairy’s hands seemed to have what looked to Maki like blood on them. And as a healer, she thought she’d recognize it. Watching where Maki was looking, the fairy swiftly made a gesture and her hands were spotless.

With a popping noise, another fairy appeared. “ **Yes, you can use our wishes for lots of things girls are too modest to do — look at Tsubasa. Now, there’s a girl who knows what she wants. They used Honoka’s wish to have twin heirs and Tsubasa’s to make her _daimyo_. Easy as pie.“**

Maki had wondered about that. “So, that’s why Yuchiekusu accepted a woman as _daimyo_?”

The fairy shrugged. **“Well, there was precedent.** **Ii Naotora** **comes to mind. And of course** **Uesugi Kenshin.”**

“Wait!” Nico exclaimed. “Uesugi Kenshin was a woman?? The strongest-ever general and _daimyo_ Uesugi???”

 **“Baka!”** one of the other fairies said. “ **She had monthly stomach cramps and had to schedule campaigns around them. She died handicapped by cramps. Her cause of death was listed as cancer of the uterus. She was allowed access to the _shogun’s_ harem. She was described as feminine and beautiful whenever anyone wrote about her. She never married and had to adopt children. When she died, her family immediately hid her remains. You tell us.”**

 **“Does the word _Onna-bugeisha_ mean anything to you two?”** Nico's godmother said, irritated.

Maki’s fairy, like her, was composed. **“Don't get them started if you can avoid it, Maki-hime. Well, we have goals, too. And if you look at the big picture — all the nobility of Otonokizaka and Yuchiekusu will be ruled by girls, married to girls, and passing on their titles to their daughters, conceived by fairy magic. In other words, we win!”**

Tsubasa was already negotiating with Maki’s bemused father to join his kingdom with Yuchiekusu in a “Yuritopia Alliance.” Fortunately, he found the concept of a kingdom full of yuri “stimulating,” and her mother said Maki might have a little sister soon. She informed Maki that she’d been an heiress as well, and used her wish in a fit of pique against Maki’s father, who’d apparently been a jerk when they were engaged as children, to make sure she would only have daughters. He had shocked her by insisting on marrying anyway.

 **“But that’s not why we’re here,”** Tsubasa’s godmother said. The other two nodded. “ **You have kept up a correspondence with Aqours, and we are pleased.”**

**“But we want you to start training your girls. Singing, dancing …”**

**“Espionage, hand-to-hand combat …”**

"Combat?" Nico murmured. "She's one year old!"

**“We fairies have a Dream Project to expand Yuritopia to cover all of Japan.”**

_Oh no,_ thought Maki. _Here we go again._ Emma just looked up at her and smiled.


	13. Don’t Tell NicoMaki

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> AU Yeah August 13: Fake Dating
> 
> Moving into the next phase of their careers, Nico and Maki have to confront fake fiances, fake dates, grabby co-stars, overbearing parents -- and even their own relationship is not immune.

 

#### Don't Tell NicoMaki

Okay, so actress and singing idol Yazawa Nico was now, officially, Christmas cake, and, according to her own representative and very much her studio, at least four years overdue to start dating. Most importantly, be seen with someone attractive, important and interesting where high-quality photos could be taken.

The rub for everyone telling her that had been that Nico - who looked more like 15 than 25 - was still adored by her fans whenever she did a concert (between films) when she declared "Nico-Nii belongs to all her fans!"

Nonetheless, someone at the studio had sent her a text saying she must appear on a date with Haruto, her co-star, today at such and such place at ... well, Nico answered without finishing reading it. "It's in Nico's contract she is with her family on her birthday and the 19th of April when Nico's dear papa died. Nico is sorry but that is not negotiable after the fact. Nico wonders why a studio person would try to make Nico violate her contract, and with such little notice, to boot ...." She sent it and pondered. "But Nico would love to discuss this after today, because Nico only reads Happy Birthday texts on her birthday." And with that she prepared to go home.

She had phoned her mother, Kotono, and apparently Maki had already arrived and had breakfast with her and the kids. Her mother had, of course, taken the day off, and Cocoro had told her university she needed to visit her family and had gotten all her homework ahead of time. Cocoa and Cotarou were doing much the same for UTX. By now, everyone at the Yazawa home knew how important their two days together a year were for the secret couple. No one would bother them after they retired to the bedroom that Nico, then Cocoro, then Cocoa had occupied. Cocoro and Cocoa would both be bunking in Cotarou's room.

Nico's father had indeed died near, but thank Heaven not on, Maki's birthday, and the family custom was to meet on whatever free day Nico had near that time. She believed he would have wanted her to leverage that excuse to have a little happiness. To preserve that, she pledged she would not bring up the Haruto issue until she was back in her apartment.

* * *

Twenty-two-year-old Nishikino Maki had her own issues to deal with. Heedless of her need to prepare for medical school, set up her apartment, and so on, her parents had assigned her to an _omiyai_ with the son of a physician at Nishikino Hospital. She had texted her mother saying she had plans with her best friend Nico (a friendship her parents strongly disapproved of, of course) and that she would only ever consider an _omiyai_ if her parents learned to respect her time and her goals. Of course, her parents remembered Nico's birthday and had chosen to give her an order for precisely that reason. Maki had already hinted after graduating university that she didn't care more about taking over the hospital than she did about living her own life. It was a shame, she'd written, but if her only child wasn't suitable to take over the hospital then they should find someone less self motivated and more obedient perhaps. But this struggle was only starting.

She felt wonderful being at breakfast with the Yazawas, all of whom were adorable and without Nico's grumpy quirks, to be honest — instead of glowering at some stranger at a marriage meeting. She pledged not to mention it until it impinged on their relationship.

* * *

When she got back to her apartment after a tear-filled farewell to Maki and her family, Nico checked her messages and mail. Apparently, her representative had come to terms with her studio, which had apologized. But also apparently, she had only gained a reprieve. Her representative was urging her to go on public dates with Haruto, and basically agreeing with the studio that it was her duty to them and her career. It wasn't like Nico didn't kiss men over and over in films, including Haruto. Being Nico's girlfriend meant Maki understood that came with the territory. But what Haruto might assume he had a license to do on these dates was another story. She couldn't fight everyone, so she would have to strategize,

* * *

Satou Haruto and Suzuki Riku met for coffee, which wasn't unusual. Nor was Riku complaining to Haruto. It was a bit unusual that Riku had, essential l'y, been jilted by an aspiring female doctor, however. In addition to being an up-and-coming plastic surgeon trainee, a skill not presently strong at Nishikino Hospital, he was notably handsome and this was a first.

Not that he had a thing for the little bookworm daughter of the Nishikino, of course. It was a hundred percent his dignity and pride at stake. The way the parents had informed him, it seemed even the threat of not taking over the hospital hadn't swayed the girl a bit. She regarded an _omiyai_ with Suzuki Riku as a burden and a favor to her parents.

Normally, Haruto would have enjoyed the show. For a future doctor, Riku acted spoiled, like he was a top, leading actor like Haruto. It was unseemly for a medical professional. But the truth was, Haruto's situation with the snooty bitch Yazawa Nico wasn't much better. If she didn't think she'd signed up for dating for publicity, well, it was certainly past time for someone of her advanced age to get a wake-up call. It was probably past time for Haruto to have a marriage and divorce with maybe a child left behind. It would cement his reputation, and help him move into the next phase of his career.

"So, " he asked, opting to be nice to Riku, " Did the parents reschedule?"

It turned out they had, meaning Riku's pouting was completely unnecessary.

"Well, I had a similar problem with an actress who's too proud of herself. We leaned on her agent, and she came around. In the end, that's what matters. Never lose your cool and never lose your smile, Rikkun."

"Ha! You sound like Nico-ni! " Riku was a fan of her films, Haruto remembered. But even he found her cheeriness a bit overdone.

"Well, since she is going to be my future bride, I must get in practice."

"What? " Riku set his coffee down and stared at Haruto.

"The studio wants us to have a romance. I decided having one ex-wife and child would help my career. Between my looks and their pressure, she won't have a chance."

"Well, I can say the same for Nishikino. She clearly won't want to put her career on hold indefinitely while we start a family and the hospital, her parents and I will have to bully her into it. She's an idiot with no idea how many nurses and even future doctors would kill for the opportunity to marry me."

"It irks you, doesn't it? Don't worry, as a fellow pretty boy I know the score. Why should we have to work at something so many of them are begging to give us? How could we show our faces if our competition found out? It's really unfair of these girls, when you think about it."

They finished their coffee, then ordered another round and a dessert. While they were eating, Riku announced he had an idea.

"The parents told me — complained, actually. The two girls know each other. They're best friends."

"Which two? Nico and Nishikino?"

"Bingo. Yes, apparently little Maki was singing and dancing her heart out with her best friend Nico in high school. She was an award-winning concert pianist, too. So she can give our kids lessons while I earn a living at the hospital. And best of all, despite appearances, I can tell her honestly I'm not fooling around with any of the nurses and interns. What a lucky, if not grateful, girl. But that's beside the point. It just occurred to me, we can show them both what public opinion is like. Easy on your side, not so much on mine. But if it works, Nico and Maki will become docile, their friendship will be split up so the Nishikinos will be happy, Nico will be at your command, and all will be right in the world."

Haruto remembered Riku from school — they hadn't had anything to do with each other, being interested in completely different things. But he had a reputation as a schemer. And Haruto wasn't as spoiled and pouty as Riku, but he was, honestly, annoyed at Yazawa. If she brushed him off whenever her friends or family wanted her, their romance wouldn't play in the magazines or entertainment updates, after all. " Go on, " he said, sipping his coffee and showing interest by training his eyes on Riku's. It was far too early to go up to their room.

* * *

Nico woke up to a nightmare scenario. Not only was her agent threatening to quit if the studio fired her over refusing to date Haruto; well, she'd seen the signs of that coming. Also the hints that the studio would bad-mouth her making it hard for her to find a new one. But what was absolutely unforeseen was the new twist from the studio. She was being urged to publicly show signs of dating, of all people, her actual girlfriend, Maki! Apparently the plan, the idiot plan, was to hint at a relationship, then tell the press they had faked dating to cover up for their real romances - hers with that asshole Haruto, and Maki's with some peacock of a doctor trainee her parents wanted her to marry. That way, Nico would get the attention and whiff of scandal of having a lesbian relationship without any of the possible fallout, once they'd explained to the press. And the movie would get all the buzz now, and later when they came clean about the fake dating scheme.

"Okay, first, no. It's beyond idiotic. But just out of curiosity, what are Maki or the Nishikinos supposedly getting out of this deal?"

"They want their daughter to become more aware of how important public opinion is to her career and to the hospital."

"So, Maki gets nothing and her parents get to be evil? In theory. In practice, I get a new studio, a new agent, and a new book telling everything I've ever learned about this studio, from its early days on. And 25 is not a bad age to retire if things don't go my way. So it's your move."

"The press won't be your friend — you've given them nothing to write about for years. What do you object to, Nico? Spending time with your friend?"

"Of course not! " Nico ignored the buzzing noise of an incoming text. Almost ignored it — she did glance at it.

"Then, why be so unreasonable? For one thing, you can spend less time with Satou-san and more time with Nishikino - what's the issue?" However, there was no response at Nico's end. Then:

"Fine."

"What?"

"I agree to play along. I will meet her at _Dorofune_ tonight, in fact. " There was a pause.

"Ehhh ... isn't that in n-chome? And for lesbians?"

"Isn't it better to have us cooperate?"

"But when it's time to explain ..."

"Let us deal with that, this is a hostile undertaking, after all. From the top down."

"And she would agree?"

"She _has_ agreed. We were texting each other while you were talking."

* * *

Nishikino was much more docile than Riku had been expecting when she arrived at the hospital to return his phone, which he had mislaid at her parents' house. She didn't say much, but she was appropriately meek. But when she turned to go, he thought for sure he saw a smirk on her face. Well, it wasn't like he understood women, or wanted to. He could tell she was very pretty, and that probably explained her reticence. It couldn't be fun having a future husband who was prettier than she was.

* * *

Haruto was surprised to see a message from Riku already. Apparently, Yazawa and Nishikino had been browbeaten into accepting the plan, and were even "meeting" at a lesbian bar that also accepted men, usually gays, every day except Saturdays. Riku planned to go there to spy on them and make sure they were playing along, and asked Haruto to come, too.

It was a nice idea. They had a built-in excuse for being there together, in disguise, and they could compare notes, make plans, and watch the two girls, who, Haruto felt, were a bit slippery compared to how they presented themselves. It was important to make them realize how completely they were at the mercy of society and the authority figures over them.

Of course, getting the message was a bit surprising, given he and Riku had left the hotel they spent the night at together, celebrating their plan, only a few hours before. If you had a reputation as a ladies' man you could get away with much more than an actress could, he'd realized a long time ago. The fact that he would have to spend much more time with Riku in the near future wasn't an unpleasant idea at all. He made sure that he was both stylish and unrecognizable before he left his penthouse apartment to meet up with Riku.

* * *

When Riku got a text from the Nishikino patriarch that he should watch out for the girls at _Dorofune_ , he was a little annoyed, but it clearly would ingratiate him to the family more, and the whole plan was his idea, so ...

* * *

Maki's father never even noticed his daughter playing with his phone. She'd been doing so for years, and he had a practiced ability to focus on the important things.

* * *

It was odd that Riku hadn't mentioned papa Nishikino in his text, and even forgotten he'd sent it. Definitely a bit odd. Well, they'd had a bit to drink the night before, after all. At any rate, there they were, both in disguise, and with a clear view of Nico and Maki's table. The only annoyance had been that buxom, glasses-wearing waitress who had taken a couple of photos of him and Riku, without warning, then shyly apologized, saying they were both as handsome as celebrities. Haruto couldn't make a fuss now without exposing his identity, but that waitress would be fired.

He didn't note that her garb wasn't quite the same as the rest of the waitresses wore. In his fast-paced career he'd learned early to focus on the important things.

* * *

Yazawa and Nishikino were really going for it, Riku noted. He did not approve. If you were in the public eye, like an actor or a doctor, there were certain things you did not do in public, whatever you got up to in a hotel or an out-of-the-way inn.

They had held hands the entire time, and gazed into each others eyes lovingly. Every once in a while, they kissed.

Well, the plan called for them to only make a couple of appearances. When they finally explained to the entertainment press that they were pretending to date in order to draw attention from their "true" romances, perhaps there would still be rumors that Nico was bisexual. It probably wouldn't hurt either of them as long as they did their duty to society.

As he finished his second drink, he almost spit it out. As it was, Riku coughed before drawing Haruto's attention to the person who had joined them at their table. It was a very gossipy woman from the leading lesbian magazine in Japan.

* * *

"Put papa on speaker, mama. Now."

Nishikino Kikuko was not used to that tone from her daughter. She'd been having a bad feeling about her for a couple of weeks now, but maybe not bad enough.

"I am with the main reporter for PROUD, mama and papa. You don't know anything about it — it stands for Proud Rezzes Of Unstoppable Drive." It's a lesbian magazine. I am telling her that the Nishikinos hate gay people, including their daughter, and would like to refuse to treat them. I am also telling her that you threatened to destroy my medical career unless I marry a gay trainee you chose for me and break up with my fiancé. Do you have anything to add, or does that cover it? Don't worry, it's already enough to make the national news."

"What do you mean, gay?" her father stammered out.

"Well, he is here in this gay bar in ni-chome with his lover - Nico is texting you a picture of them … got it? Anyway, I believe that's the term you use. His lover is Nico's co-star, in fact. Isn't it a small world?"

By this point, a furious Riku had dragged Haruto over to where they were sitting. Maki didn't let them get out a word. "Sit!" she ordered. "I am on the phone with my parents right now." She spoke to her phone again. "Your future son-in-law seems to be worried about something. Probably the fact that I don't plan to give up being a doctor to have his babies to hide the fact that he only loves men? I am just guessing. It would be hard to take over the hospital that way, wouldn't it? Then again, I am only a female."

"You know very well, Maki, that the Nishikino name goes with the blood children, male or female," her mother said, forcefully. In fact, Maki's father had taken the Nishikino name for that exact purpose.

Riku got up again. Maki glared at him. "You and the other peacock might want to try not talking loudly about your disgusting plans for Nico and me in the dining lounge of a hotel a friend of ours works at. Listen, worm. I have absolutely nothing to lose. Can you say the same? If not, I never want to see you again, anywhere. Ever. Including my family's hospital. Leave."

Nico was laughing openly when Maki turned back to her phone. "It seems your chosen fiancé has other plans. Do you have anything to add, either of you?"

There was a pause. Then Maki could hear her mother had taken the phone off speaker.

"Regardless of what your father or I may have wanted, he will not in any way interfere with your personal life any more, Maki. I apologize on behalf of both of us."

"Oh, is that so?" Maki asked, sarcastically. "Well, then, now that misunderstanding is cleared up, me and Nico and her co-star and this nice lady will try to work out a story that won't be too revealing about the boys. After all, the big story is that we were high-school sweethearts who can finally follow our muse and be together. I know you need an early night's sleep, so I will talk to you later."

With that, Maki ended the call and turned to her table companions. Haruto was still in shock, but finally one worry had wormed its way up to his awareness. "Yazawa-san, you aren't going to back out of the movie, or anything like that?"

Nico was smirking. "Why would I do that? Maki and I would both prefer you have no desire for anything but playing the role as it's written, in fact. Of course, if you pull anything else in the future, this nice lady will be forced to tell the public who the fake names in the article are, and when we had our encounter. But really, you'd be my pick as a leading man, hands down, Haruto."

"Now," Maki added with a wink, "that you know your place, that is."

 


	14. Love Live! Addendum

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> AU Yeah August 14: Reincarnation
> 
> Kira Tsubasa, as everyone knows, has already helped Kousaka Honoka tell her story. But there is unfinished business with 'those two girls.'

Dear readers, what more do I have to add?

I can imagine you, readers of this edition of the collected "School Idol Diaries," asking that question. After all, all of Japan and much of the world knows Honoka's story now. Or rather, her stories. There is, of course, Love Live! School Idol Project. It's amazing to think a middle school girl created that, even though I was there all along. She populated it with her friends and loved ones, including me and Erena and Anju. How glittering her image of UTX was, even though she was never able to leave her hospital bed to see it in person! How touching her love for Otonokizaka Girls' Academy, which she only knew through her mother's yearbook — and her stories about being a student there, softened and warmed in her memories by time! Of course, that's not quite true, as Minami Kotori was already quite familiar with the place and told her stories about it, too.

Before Honoka died, we were all told that Otonokizaka would not, in fact, be closed. The news that she had, like the Honoka in her stories, saved her mother's precious school (and that Yukiho was going to attend it) made Honoka happier almost than I'd ever seen before. Both UTX and Otonokizaka have had student tourists in abundance. To a degree, the music room, the building roof, and so on are almost shrines.

The three of us were tempted to go to Otonokizaka to prepare the way for Yukiho and Alisa, and perhaps the Yazawas, but we also felt compelled by Honoka's imagination and vision to give UTX a try. And that's the other Honoka story, of course. The way she worked her friends into her fantasies. Honoka had a very keen eye for details and a deep understanding of character. So much so that even Nico only complained a bit about her imagined scenarios. She puffed up with pride when Honoka told her she would be the first to create a school idol troupe, then puffed up with indignation when she said it would fail. But for the most part, Umi and Kotori, Eli and Nico and Nozomi, and Rin, Maki and Hanayo were amused and amazed. So were her "rivals," as we were in fact all three doing performances together in middle school. I hasten to add they weren't the polished affairs you see in the famous anime series. On the contrary, the first time we were dancing to a recording of a current pop song in public, both Anju and I fell on our butts and cried and cried. Nonetheless, Honoka found it all very inspiring.

The shadow over Love Live!, of course, is that nearly all of Honoka's close friends died in Heisei 23, when Honoka was about to start her third year in middle school. The burden of knowing everyone you treasure outside your family was drowned or crushed must be a heavy one, but added to that burden was the results of the collapse that also killed Sonoda Umi and Minami Kotori and her mother, the headmistress of Otonokizaka. Crushed and broken, Honoka was not expected to live, though she did, and she was bed-ridden and in surgeries for what remained of her young life.

The two Honoka stories are yin and yang. They balance and complete each other. The "real" Honoka story is a heartbreaking tragedy. The fictional Honoka story is a shining story of inspiration and faith. But I have of course written all this before, not to mention Honoka's much better explication in her famous stories. There is, after all, the real Love Live!, too. The public scarcely knows the nine middle-school girls whose names — with the permission of their families — fill the pages of Love Live! School Idol Diary. For one thing, when she found out that Dengeki G wanted to adapt her light novels to a manga format, she called on the creator of Strawberry Panic! to help out (and to finish off the uncompleted diaries, and help write the Drama CDs). But the Mu's the public knows are really the seiyuu who played Honoka and her friends. Obviously, Anju, Erena and I were available to consult, so we had tremendous input into our characters, but even in the case of A-RISE, the Tsubasa et al. you know, dear readers, if you came to this world through the animated series, is them, not us.

Despite the help from Kimino Sakurako, I can tell you for certain that all 24 Love Live! books were mostly written by Honoka herself. Towards the end, as fatigue and pain took more and more time away from her writing, she would sketch out transitional chapters, but the main story and important chapters were all Honoka. Sometimes A-RISE helped, as well, but it was very painful for us. I can't remember a single time consulting with Honoka where we weren't bawling our eyes out practically the whole time. It really makes you question the goodness of Heaven when such awful things happen to sweet, loving girls like her.

But now, finally, I arrive at my topic, so thank you for your patience, dear readers. Many fans have suspected that she injected some of Baby Princess or Strawberry Panic! into Honoka's stories. Especially so, given the "real" characters were all in middle school at the time Honoka knew them. For the most part, that is not true. All nine of the girls that were later called Mu's by Honoka were physically affectionate, and whatever baby crushes were present are, for the most part, faithfully represented in the School Idol Diaries. Rin and Hanayo really were inseparable, and so were Umi, Honoka and Kotori. And that transfer student Nozomi went from having a crush on Nico to a full blown hearts-in-her-eyes love for transfer student Eli - who could barely speak Japanese and kept herself distant from everyone but Nozomi at first — was absolutely common knowledge among every girl at our middle school.

I see I have left out Nishikino Maki and, to a degree, Yazawa Nico. Honoka told me once that she saw Love Live! partly, secretly, as the story of Nico and Maki. I do not believe anyone else has ever told the public anything like this. Even if "Mu's" had lived, I think only Nozomi would not be surprised to read this. After all, in middle school Nico and Maki had nothing in common, were not often seen together, and fought like monkeys and dogs when they were. Half the time, they weren't even on speaking terms.

A fair bit of time has passed, and it is not my goal to gossip about dead young girls, you know. But I want to prevent misunderstanding of who they were, and how faithfully Honoka and her assistants have depicted them. I will have to — no, I choose to — go all over the place, though.

My dear girl readers, nowadays girls are what Umi (the real one as well as the fictional one) would call shameless, so this is probably a silly question, but did you practice kissing in middle school? We all certainly did. From the fact that Anju and I are still together and Erena married Yazawa Cotarou, you might think that she liked it less than we did, but she says it was "very fun." Honoka and I each had our circle of friends, but we were the most outgoing in our circles. Once a week we tended to meet up at lunch time and fill in the other girl on what had been going on in our circles.

One such occasion will answer any questions you may have had about how I, Kira Tsubasa, tended to be depicted in the Love Live! world.

Honoka informed me that she, Umi and Kotori had been discussing "kissing." How you did it, what it was like, how you worked your nerve up to "practice" doing it. And so on. Well, I didn't literally jump across the table or anything, but I did scurry around it and sit right up next to Honoka. I did grab her shoulders and our eyes did meet. And I forced Honoka's first kiss on her (and mine, but it was my choice) right there in the lunch room in front of everyone, with no privacy at all. I held it until I had to take a breath. It was wonderful. I had been thinking about kissing, myself for ages. That's the only way I can account for my actions.

"Mou! Tsubasa!" Honoka yelled. She moved away from me and just looked down at her food without touching it. She was bright red, and on the verge of tears. I wanted to say, "Sorry," but I also didn't want her to feel bad about herself. This is where the flirty Tsubasa character came from. "Sorry, Honoka, but you were just too cute! So, so cute!" I said, and went back across the table and picked at my food. Honoka did the same, and most of it was left on our trays by the time the bell rang for the first afternoon classes. That was a Monday, and Honoka didn't speak to me all week. By Saturday, she would at least meet my eyes, and by Monday I think she'd gotten over it.

I later found out that Sunday they'd met at Honoka's place and she, as the experienced girl, "taught" the other two about kissing. I had done the same with Anju and Erena on Saturday and Sunday both, and now Honoka's friends were inspired. Eli was reluctant to encourage Nozomi, who already gave her a huge amount of chocolates for Valentine's Day and left love notes every week in her shoe locker, but curious enough to want to try, and she wasn't cold enough to break Nozomi's heart by kissing anyone else. She wasn't brought up to think of girls as kissing partners, so, according to Honoka, she was quite surprised how pleasant it was kissing Nozomi. Obviously, that girl was in heaven, and it broke the ice. Sometimes Eli let her hold her hand, and since they had both joined the student council, it made their time there more informal and relaxed after that. Rin and Hanayo really liked kissing, too, no surprise, and so did the second-year trio. Nico and Maki claimed it wasn't interesting to them.

Honoka looked like she wanted to say something when they both announced that, but they followed that up by glaring at her until she kept her mouth shut.

The truth is, Nico had met Maki on the younger girl's very first day, in a cliched way. Nico tended to run everywhere, as she was hyperactive and disorganized. She had fallen on top of Maki, who let her have it for being clumsy and stupid. Because it was a fact that Nico admired me, she tried to be flirty like I supposedly was, and miraculously, it worked. Maki had very little experience dealing with people her own age, so it had an outsized impact. Nico was in the middle of saying she "fell for" Maki because she was so cute when Maki kissed her. Nico was too shocked to pull away, too shocked to say anything, and too shocked to disagree when Maki demanded they exchange phone numbers and LINE nicknames. She did gather herself together enough to ask Maki "why???" to which that girl replied "I just felt like it."

After that, whenever they could, and especially in the tiny music rooms at the middle school, Nico and Maki were physically affectionate with each other, though publicly aloof. They visited Nico's family's apartment frequently and slept in Nico's bed. Before the summer break, they had started having sex, even though Maki was not yet a teen-ager.

We know a lot about Nico and Maki, dear readers. Not only did Honoka accidentally overhear them discussing their relationship, leading them to swear her to secrecy, but we have their diaries, letters to each other, cards, and even texts on Nico's phone, which was recovered, unlike Maki's. They were engaged to be married, at least in their minds. Maki, extremely precocious, had already planned out how they would manage that. Nico, already an experienced homemaker, was a practical-minded critic whenever Maki would overreach. Honoka believed, as I do, that things would have worked out for them somehow.

Maki really did write _Aishiteru Banzai_ for Nico, just as Umi really did write poems that had the rhythm and meter of song lyrics. I don't believe Umi and Maki ever collaborated -- they were both friends of Honoka and admired each other, but were not extremely close. When Honoka told their story to Kimino Sakurako, she said that woman cried for quite a while. Honoka played her a recording she'd made of Maki singing _Aishiteru Banzai_ that night, so Sakurako-sensei didn't have to cry alone.

I could go on, I could tell you how the Yazawas regarded Maki as almost another older sister, or how Maki told her parents she was interested in sports medicine so she could specialize in fixing up Nico if she was injured dancing. I could point out that Maki made Nico study so hard she did way better than Nozomi and almost as well as Eli, who was the top student in their year in everything but Japanese. Or tell about the time Nico and Maki went shopping — using Maki's allowance — then went to the Nishikino manor and Nico cooked a dinner for the Nishikinos that was every bit as elegant and delicious as their cook would normally produce, even though Nico was still only fourteen.

The point remains that, in a little less than a year, the two girls had an affair that other couples would have drawn out over several years' time. It makes me shudder, but I almost wonder if they had a premonition that that would be the only time they'd ever have, so they made the most of it. They were both perfectionists, and both of them were wounded when their relationship was less than perfect, so their fights and sarcasm and snubs were all real. However, typically they made up passionately the same day as they fought, which is the part us fellow middle-schoolers never saw.

It was a college-type relationship in a junior high school, and it was, in the end, another great tragedy.

Honoka-chan, I will never, ever forget you, angel. You were my first kiss, and I believe, my first love. Anju is very understanding, and always reminds me that she misses you terribly, too. And not just the brave, famous girl in the hospital, desperately turning out book after book in the fantasy world she retreated into because the real world was so painful that only the books and the _manju_ Yukiho and her parents brought her every week could even make her have a hint of a smile. No, we both miss the girl who hadn't been crushed yet.

Honoka, you were right about how you affected others. If things had turned out differently, I think you would have sweet-talked your eight friends into joining your idol group (even Nico). And I think you would have handed us our butts at the school idol contest you renamed Love Live! in your stories. When we won, we dedicated our victory to you, after all.

Even as it was, reading and re-reading, and watching and listening to Love Live! I finally see what Honoka meant. NicoMaki was the main love story in Love Live! to me, even before the information I will finish this note with.

Maki, please forgive your mother. I am writing this, of course, about the Maki that is alive and in my house, not her posthumously famous namesake. Your mother is going to draw unwanted attention to you and it is probably intolerable. But I have two reasons. The first is that it is the prerogative of parents to embarrass their children. The second is that if you follow in my and Anju's footsteps, there is not much in the way of publicity that is bad publicity.

When we adopted you, and Erena and Cotarou adopted Nico, Honoka was still very much alive. It made her really happy to hear what we had named you two in the adoption papers. "Who knows, Tsubasa!" was her first comment. When you are old enough to understand the rest of this afterword, please, Maki, understand that what dear Honoka was doing was wishing you happiness like she had seen, from the bottom of her brave, wounded heart.

I would beg Yazawa Nico's pardon as well. The Love Live! story involves reality and fantasy intertwining to such a degree that it's difficult to separate the two. You and Maki may not well remember the anecdote I am going to finish with. And the background will simply annoy and embarrass you both.

The Kiras and Yazawas both had a spooky time with their new family members. It is good to remember that Cotarou and Erena had only been married for a year, and he, seven years younger than Erena, was still, if barely, a teenager when they adopted Nico. Erena kept Todo in public but went by Yazawa otherwise, and Anju did the same with her family name of Yuuki. I think we were all fortunate that Nozomi had a cousin, Tsushima Yoshiko, in Shizuoka's Numazu, that shared her interest in divination. That cousin says that Honoka was a little unfair to Nozomi. Though they grew up in the Chuubu area, Nozomi's parents and relatives mostly had a Kansai accent, so that girl came by hers honestly. At any rate, Tsushima has an open-minded but very grounded perspective on things that aren't firmly scientific, and our families have often discussed our adopted children with her. She even has one of Nozomi's first Tarot decks, which she was given by Nozomi on her birthday a year before the tragedy. She says she will bequeath it to Nico and Maki if ...

Well, at any rate, here we are at the final anecdote. It involves, of all things, a couple of lemonade stands.

Oh wait, as warned, I need to jump around a bit more.

Kira Maki was born, like Yazawa Nico, a year after the tragedy. She was half American, we believe, and had eyes that slanted upwards, and, eventually, dark, reddish hair. By the time she was four, she had a habit of twirling a strand of her hair, which she insisted on keeping long, in her fingers. She even craved tomatoes. All of these traits were really those of her namesake, as I and Anju were in a position to observe. Some of this could be expectation by us, though I don't really see how it could be given what we did and didn't do. With one exception: Anju is easily amused, so I know for a fact she is the one who trained Maki to say, "Imi Wakaranai!" as a habit. She learned to read at four and to play the piano a bit at three years old.

Meanwhile, Yazawa Nico is petite, energetic, can be short-tempered, and was so eager to be an older sister her nagging finally wore them down to the point that Cotarou and Erena added Yazawa Honoka, by birth, not adoption not that that mattered to them, to their family a couple of months before I began writing this afterword. She also took to doing "Nico-Nico-Nii!" like a duck to water. Even though it made Cotarou cry like a baby the first few times. 

We live right across the street from each other. Both Nico and Maki are independent girls, and they both had the idea to run a lemonade stand at roughly the same time. So, like warring fortresses, the two stands faced each other and divided the customers, to the great dissatisfaction of Nico and Maki both. Maki had the idea of including green tea in her lemonade, which gave her an edge, though at a small additional cost.

I have to wander again, this is the part Anju, Erena and Cotarou agree is _true_ but not very _believable_. Nico's first word was not "papa" or "mama" but "Maki" and she even said it in her sleep. The same is true in reverse for Maki. That was what led our two families to reach out to Tsushima Yoshiko, in fact. She told us, matter-of-factly, that reincarnation should not be dismissed out of hand. We observed a lot of the details I have noted above after that.

At any rate, Nico came across the street to grumpily observe Maki's wares. Somehow, she knocked over a couple of pre-poured cups of lemonade, and Maki berated her for it, which she was quite justified in doing. When Nico very grudgingly apologized, Maki looked at her intently, then, according to Nico, quite weirdly suddenly grabbed her and kissed her on the mouth! When Nico could stutter out a "why??", she told her parents, all Maki said was that she "felt like it." And that's the same story she gave us. We were shocked, and worried this would cause a falling out between the girls, and it seemed like it had. But as I write this, they are best friends. Nico hugs Maki whenever she feels like it, and Maki kisses Nico, but on the cheek or top of the head, which is proper.

The story of Love Live! outlived Honoka, and outlived A-RISE. It will almost certainly outlive those of us who survived Honoka, and even our children. But this anecdote is rather precious to me. It hints that there are other things that may survive us, things that are more personal to us. I am not suggesting Yazawa Honoka has the same spirit as my friend Kousaka Honoka. But she may be - I only say may be — out there, somewhere. If we remembered too much, it would be boring — like reading a story you've already read the plot to. 


End file.
